Malum Renovamen
by swirlheart
Summary: Something strange is happening again meaning that Ichigo must once again team up with Linnette. There may be more to this than any of them realized when it's discovered that Veneno is still alive. Please read and review. Rated T for battle scenes and whatnot. Nothing too bad.
1. Chapter 1

**Malum Renovamen**

Something strange is happening again meaning that Ichigo must once again team up with Linnette. There may be more to this than any of them realized when it's discovered that Veneno is back. Please R&R

Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo. This is just a fanfiction written for fun. I make no profit on this. The only characters I own are my original fan-made characters: Linnette, Victor, Cedric and Veneno.

Now on to the fun ^-^

**Chapter 1:**

Like most of the Seireitei, the edges of the training grounds were lined with plants and trees and lush green grass. Ferns with leaves the size of a human hand and flowers reflecting primary colors displayed the native nature of this other world known only to Soul Reapers. Such sights may be seen as exotic to some, but not to those who lived here and saw this everyday. This was normal. Most of the plant life were things which could be found anywhere in Japan. It provided a sense of peace for those who lived in the white buildings overlooking the gardens and courtyards.

Not everyone was so lucky to see such things, however. The constant experimentation and usage of dangerous, if not toxic chemicals had killed what little plant life there was around the Department of Research and Development. Which was perfectly fine for those who preferred to spend their time deep underground in the many labs and offices. Many of them weren't used to stepping out into sunlight and spent most of their time indoors working. For some, this was their own choice. For others, no more than a job which they had no say in. Some wanted to smell the fresh air and see light which wasn't artificial. But the high demands of the lab prevented this, forcing them to work inside, cut off from all sunlight in windowless labs.

On a day like this, however, working in a dark lab was a welcoming idea. Despite it being spring, it was unusually humid. With humidity as high as it was, the shade from any tree was a source of cool relief. But that didn't save them from the heat for very long. Soul Reapers had work to do, even when they weren't fighting with an enemy or battling Hollows. There was paper work to be done and errands to run. They couldn't spend their time under a tree for any longer than a few short minutes. Demanding higher-ups kept calling them away to work. Even the training grounds were unusually quiet, many Soul Reapers finding it too hot to exert themselves anymore than necessary.

Luckily, a cool laboratory was the perfect place to work on a day like this. Which was exactly where Akon heading. He walked from the 12th Division, carrying a box of tools his captain need to the underground lab. He passed by several sweaty Soul Reapers without a word.

It had been several months since the massive attack on the Seireitei by a certain Arrancar. He had somehow managed to clone himself and spread a virus throughout the Soul Society and some of the World of the Living, transforming people into Hollows. The transformation was slow and painful, causing the victims to become very hostile and attack anyone who wasn't infected, thus, infecting them as well. They called these victims Hollow Reapers. The virus spread so much that only a small handful of people managed to escape undamaged. The numbers weren't exact, but there were less than one hundred survivors for certain, many of whom escaped into the sewers. The issue was only resolved after Ichigo Kurosaki somehow managed to kill the original Arrancar. He didn't escape injury in the battle and the only reason he managed to win at all was because he had help from so many different people. One of those people happened to be a girl named Linnette. She was a human who was constantly accompanied by two men who weren't exactly human. Akon was never told who or what these men were, only that they were more powerful than any Soul Reaper in the Soul Society and could move buildings with their bare hands. Nothing seemed to be a match for them. Which was why many Soul Reapers wished to stay on their good side, happy to have them as allies.

Not much had happened after things settled down. Life returned to normal. And normality had its own abnormalities in Squad 12's case. Mayuri had been working on something ever since that day which he refused to tell anyone about. It was an experiment, several months in the making and it was nearing completion.

Akon was sworn to secrecy. Since his Captain was so busy with many new assignments he received from the Head Captain and many others, he hardly had any time at all to work on this experiment, which was why he ordered Akon to assist him. He had to vow never to reveal any of this to anyone. He wasn't allowed to breathe a word of it to anyone outside of the lab, even to the Captain himself. He agreed. Not that he had much of a choice.

Once inside the lab, Akon gave a sigh of relief, the dark room feeling wonderful on his hot back and shoulders. He was so glad to be out of the hot sun. He hoped this heat wave would be over soon. Spring should never be this humid. He set the box in his arms down on a metal cart and wheeled it into the spacious laboratory his Captain was currently working in. Akon never understood why his Captain changed labs so frequently. The remodeling reasons he understood, but that was finished months ago. He spent most of his time in his large personal lab, which happened to be his favorite to work in, but this wasn't it. This was his second lab which was very close to his preferred one. Akon assumed it was because he didn't want anyone to find out about this secret experiment. Using his own lab wasn't secret enough and he couldn't risk using any of the other labs, knowing full well that many people came in and out of them everyday. This was possibly the most secure one he had.

"Akon!" he could hear his Captain yelling from across the room. "Akon!"

"Yes, sir." He wheeled the cart over to Mayuri. He was wearing a large baggy lab coat, one hand wrapped in a glove. He had several tools at his side on a steel table. Nemu was at his other side, waiting.

"Did you get what I sent you for?"

"Yes, sir. Right here." He opened the box and showed him what was inside.

"Ah. Good boy." He peered inside and grabbed a tool from the bottom. He pulled out what looked like a metal pike, knocking several tools onto the floor and turned back to the table. "Pick those up, will you?"

Akon bent down and picked up the fallen tools without a word. It wasn't that re was afraid of his Captain, nor did he respect him. He could never put his feelings into words on how he felt about this man. He was indifferent most of the time. But at times like this, it was easy to describe how he felt towards him: annoyed.

So the work day began. For the next several hours, Akon spent his time doing whatever his Captain asked of him, keeping his complaints to himself for the most part. His Captain was unusually giddy this afternoon. It must have meant that the experiment was nearing completion. He kept looking at a large tank they had set in the middle of the room, hidden behind many empty ones and large machines. Akon was currently injecting different colored fluids into the tank via tubes. There was a white tarp cast over the tank, which remained there for the past three weeks. Akon was never sure if he was permitted to look inside or not, so he didn't.

"Akon, come here!" Mayuri demanded. He wasn't a very patient man. Akon climbed down from the latter he was sitting on and went over to him. "This is nearly finished…" he was saying, his back turned to Akon. He kept tinkering with the objects on the table. "I need you to do something for me."

"Yes?"

Mayuri waved Nemu over. She grabbed the tarp and pulled it down. Now Akon could see what, or rather who, was in the tank.

The moss-colored water tinted the natural color of whatever was in the tank. A man was floating inside, curled in a fetal position hooked up to a dozen wires. Most of the wires were attached to his back in several areas, two were attached to each temple and the largest wire was hooked up to his mouth. It was actually a tube more than it was a wire. Akon couldn't tell if it was there to help him breathe, eat or something else. Akon moved closer to the tank to get a better look at the man inside. He wasn't moving, but his hair was, very slowly. From the perfect angle, Akon could clearly make out the fragment of his Hollow mask on his forehead.

This was Veneno. The Arrancar responsible for all the mayhem that occurred several months ago. There he was.

Akon turned to his Captain. He knew all along what Mayuri was doing but couldn't say a word. He questioned why in the world he would want to bring back the man who caused so many people so much pain and suffering. All Mayuri would say on the subject was that he wanted to see if he could.

Mayuri never explained further than that. He never told Akon just what this was. Was the man inside a clone of Veneno? Was it a cross between Mod Soul and Gigai technology, much like Nemu herself? Or was this indeed the real Veneno brought back to life? Mayuri wouldn't say.

"I want you to watch him and tell me when you see him breathe. With any luck, we'll finish tonight."

Akon looked back at the tank. The man inside didn't move. Akon had no idea how long this would take, but this wasn't how he pictured his evening.

Hours passed and nothing came of it. The Veneno inside did nothing.

Mayuri spent his time moving things around, typing on the computer near the tank, tapping on the glass of the tank itself, touching the wires hooked up to the tank, injecting more things into the body and into the water. Akon never said a word. He let Mayuri do whatever he wanted. Akon had no way of knowing what time it was or if he was too late to get dinner. Staring at a tank was such a bore. There were worse things, he imagined.

Tiny bubbles escaped from Veneno's nose. Akon stood up and moved towards the tank. He watched, waiting. More bubbles appeared from Veneno's mouth and nose. "Captain, I think he's breathing."

Mayuri dropped everything and came rushing over. He pressed his face against the glass. When he saw the bubbles for himself, he gave a cheer and called for Nemu. "Open it! Open the tank! Hurry, girl! Hurry!"

Nemu moved behind one of the machines hooked up to the tank and started pressing buttons. The wires attached to Veneno's body were pulled out and retracted. The liquid started to drain. Before the green water was gone, the glass tank began to drop. Akon jumped back at the floor became soaked in slimy water. He looked back to see Veneno sliding onto the floor in a pool of goop. He didn't move.

Not caring about the mess on the floor, Mayuri walked forward and stood over the naked body. He looked him over and waited. Nothing happened. Mayuri waited anxiously. He started to wonder what went wrong the longer he waited.

Akon peered over at the body. Was the experiment a failure? All those months a complete waste? It certainly seemed to be a waste of time.

Then Veneno twitched.

Mayuri gasped happily and bent down. Veneno slowly lifted his left arm, a long trail of slime leading to the puddle on the floor. Slowly, very slowly, Veneno lifted his head. Mayuri reached forward with his gloved hand and wiped the slime off Veneno's mouth, nose and eyes. He held Veneno's head in his hands, staring at his goopy face. He looked like he was asleep. He was breathing, but his eyes were not open.

Then his eyes opened. Mayuri looked into Veneno's green eyes, open mouthed. Veneno looked back at him after a moment. His eyes were glazed, not focusing on anything.

Akon moved a little closer. The tense moments turned into minutes. Finally Veneno was able to sit up without Mayuri's help and could move on his own. He kept his gaze down with a blank expression on his face. He didn't seem to be fully aware of where he was or what was going on.

"Veneno." Mayuri started calling his name, trying to get a reaction. He didn't respond. "Veneno." He blinked, never looking up. "Veneno."

This time he looked at the speaker.

"Excellent." Mayuri smiled and called him again. "Veneno."

He stared at Mayuri. Then he started to move his limbs. He looked down. Veneno lifted his hand up, holding it in front of his face and curled his fingers and stretching them out again. He was like an infant learning how his body functioned. He noticed the trail of slime between his fingers and rubbed them together, feeling the goop. Then he lowered his hand again.

"Veneno."

He looked up, hearing his name. Or did he look up at the sound, not understanding that it was his name at all? Veneno lowered his head after a moment and shivered. He felt cold. It was all the slime sticking to his body and being met with the cold air for the first time.

Mayuri called Nemu over. "Get me a towel or something, anything. Put it over him right now."

Nemu came back with the tarp and laid it over his naked body, covering him. Veneno blinked, reacting to the new sensation. Mayuri reached forward and took a corner of the tarp and used it to clean off Veneno's face. He ruffled his brown hair, drying it. Then he stepped back, looking him over again. Veneno looked up at him without any expression at all.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

Veneno did nothing.

"Do you understand me?"

Again, he did nothing.

He wanted to test it. "Nemu, Akon, stand him up. Right now. Move."

The two stepped forward. Akon groaned as his shoes landed in the green goop. This would be a pain to clean. He slid around on the slime as he grabbed under Veneno's left arm while Nemu took the right and lifted him up. Veneno didn't seem to know how to stand, keeping his legs limp. After three tries he seemed to figure out what they wanted from him and straightened his legs, standing up. He wasn't able to remain standing on his own so the two had to help support him.

Mayuri began the tests. He shined a light in Veneno's eyes and inside his mouth and nose and ears. He took Veneno's pulse and his vital signs. He ordered Nemu to take notes for him. Nemu left Akon to support Veneno on his own and retrieved a clipboard. She began to jot down notes.

After a few more minutes, Veneno seemed to be able to stand on his own, leaning against the now empty tank. Akon slowly relaxed his grip and let Veneno stand on his own.

Veneno stared blankly around the room as if in a daze. Then he heard a new noise and turned his head. Nemu was taking notes still. He could hear the pen scratching against the paper. He looked at the object moving around in her hand and stared at it curiously. Mayuri took notice of this and told Nemu to stop writing for a moment. "Do you know what this is?" Veneno didn't say anything. "This is a pen. Do you know what a pen is?"

He just stared.

Mayuri took the clipboard from Nemu and the pen, taking it over to Veneno. He held out the clipboard and handed him the pen. He didn't move. Mayuri took the pen and moved it across the paper, making different letters. "See? Now you try." He handed Veneno the pen. He reached for it but wasn't able to figure out how to hold it. "Like this. Do you see?" He showed Veneno what to do.

This time Veneno managed to take hold of the pen on his own and held it in his closed fist. He made a line across the paper and then another. Veneno stared at the marking he created in awe. Mayuri took the pen and clipboard back, muttering how remarkable this was to himself.

Akon stood nearby, watching. Veneno managed to remain standing on his own but it soon became clear that he couldn't do much else. He couldn't even walk.

"Nemu, clean him off. And fetch him something to wear."

"Yes, sir." Nemu had to physically carry Veneno over to where he needed to be and cleaned him up. She brought him a researcher's uniform and dressed him while Veneno simply sat there and let her do what she wanted. The uniform was of course temporary. The lab coat didn't even cover his legs. Nemu brought him back once the task was completed and stood him in front of Mayuri.

"Let's get him onto the table," he told her. Together, they lifted him up and sat him down on the table. Veneno didn't do anything but stare off into space. Mayuri picked up a tool from the cart Akon had wheeled into the room and turned back to Veneno. After several observations, Mayuri nodded his head and moved away from the subject. "It would seem that his mind is still developing. He seems to have no sense of where he is or what's happening. It's like having an infant around. He has to be shown everything. This man can't even talk."

Veneno looked down at his legs with a vacant expression. Everything seemed new to him. Even his own body.

Mayuri looked from Veneno to the pile of work he had near the door. He growled in frustration. "There's no way I can make proper observations with all this work piling up. The Head Captain must think I have nothing to do at all. He keeps giving me things to do…" He looked over his shoulder and then at Veneno. "Well, I suppose Akon could baby-sit him for a while, while I work on a few things."

Akon's head spun around. "I heard my name and 'baby-sit'. What's going on?"

"You…" Mayuri pointed at him with his middle finger and a toothy smile. "… are going to look after him while I tend to other matters. I can't fall behind in my work. Besides, if I'm gone too often with him and not doing my other duties, Yamamoto will get suspicious. Which means that you'll be handling things in my stead. Got it?"

Akon frowned. "Why don't you have the Lieutenant do it? She's your right hand."

"Which is why I'll need her to assist me with my other duties. This is up to you. You're the only other person who knows anything about this and you're also my Third Seat. You have little say in the matter. As your Captain, I order you to look after him. Got that?"

This sounded like a real hassle, but the Captain's request couldn't be turned down. He had to do it. Akon turned his head, looking at the man sitting absentmindedly on the table without a word. Seeing as how he couldn't walk or speak, this may not be too much of a hassle.

"Great!" Mayuri clapped his hands together. "Now, let's find a place to stash him for the evening. And remember, not a word to anyone about this."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. No problem."

"See that there isn't."

* * *

More to come soon!

Please review! ^-^


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Heart pounding, pulse racing. Everything passed by in a blur. All he heard were the sound of his footsteps picking up speed as he ran. Dirt and stones crunched under his feet with every step he took. His vision narrowed, his target growing closer. Mid-step, he jumped, twisting his body around, letting the metal bar pass under his body. The blue sky flew over his head in a blur. For a split second, time seemed to have stopped. Then he saw the white clouds and budding trees and the school building blend together in a colorful streak. He shut his eyes. The next thing he knew, he landed on his back, body sinking into the mat as if it were made of dough. For a moment, his knees almost touched his forehead. He let his legs straighten out and flop onto the mat, distributing his weight. He let out the breath he had been holding.

The next thing he heard were applause. He turned his head, seeing his classmates clapping for him.

"Excellent work, Kurosaki," said his gym teacher. "Another successful jump. With a form like that, you'll have the school record beat by the end of the day."

Ichigo scooted to the edge of the mat, every move making a gooshing sound against the flexible mat. It was high jump day in gym. Everyone was required to participate. The moment his sneakers touched solid ground, he pushed himself up and walked back to his classmates.

"Orihime, you're up."

"Yeah, Orihime! Go!"

Ichigo stood in the back of the line to wait his next turn. Even if it was the high jump, he still managed to work up a sweat. The breeze felt good. It was a nice warm day today, a breeze blowing every few minutes. He waited restlessly for the next gust to cool him down.

He heard a clank sound and looked forward. Orihime was sitting up on the mat, the metal bar on the ground. Tatsuki called to her friend. "Get your tush up, Orihime! Tush up!"

"Yeah! Sorry!" She bent down to pick up the fallen bar but the teacher stopped her, picking it up himself. She jogged to the back of the line and stood beside Ichigo. "Did you see that? I was really close. Too bad my butt's so big. It knocked down the bar. Did you see?"

"No, I wasn't looking."

"Aw..!"

He looked forward, watching Tatsuki make her run next. She ran with her body close to the ground. She jumped and soared over the bar, in a complete flip. She landed on the mat and turned around. The bar was still in place. The class clapped for her.

"Nice job, Tatsuki," said the teacher. "The flip wasn't needed, though. Let's see… Keigo! You're next! Get up here!"

Tatsuki jogged to the back of the line, high-fiving Orihime. "You did great, Tatsuki! That was a cool flip you did."

"Yeah, I didn't mean to do that. Just sort of happened."

"It was really neat, though. Like one of those high-five divers."

"Like one of those what?"

"You know," said Orihime. "Like on those high-five dives. You know, at the pools. They're really tall and go way up high. Those ones."

Tatsuki shook her head. "Oh, Orihime… Those are just called high-dives. Not high-five dives."

"Really? Ohh! Have I been saying it wrong all this time?" she whined.

They all looked up to see Keigo's run. He was possibly the fastest in their class when it came to running. He made a dash for the bar, showing off his speed. It went down hill from there. It looked like he tried to jump and continue his run at the same time. The result was disastrous. He had tripped over his own feet and slammed face-first into the bar. From there, he fell over backwards, missing the mat completely and landing on the ground on his back. Then the bar, shook from its balanced position, fell and landed on his nose. Keigo yelped and doubled over in pain, holding his face.

The teacher nudged him with the heel of his shoe. "Come on, get up." Keigo whined. The teacher nudged him again. "Suck it up, man. Now pick up that bar and move to the back of the line."

"Notice how he's tougher on the guys than he is the girls," said Tatsuki.

"I'm fine with that," said Orihime. "I think I'd cry if he yelled at me like he does the guys."

Keigo limped to the back of the line and stood with the others. "Hey…" he moaned. "Take a look at my nose. Is it bleeding?"

"You're good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"'Cause it feels like it is."

"You're fine."

The teacher raised the bar up another inch and the routine started up again. Uryu was first in line again. After making sure that his glasses were in place, he ran forward. He kicked off at the last second and flew over the bar. He raised his legs, turning his body into an 'L' shape, avoiding the bar and landed on the mat.

"Good job. Ichigo, you're up!"

Ichigo wasted no time and ran. He jumped, bar at his level. He twisted his body in the air and saw the sky again. He landed on his shoulder in the middle of the mat and sat up. The bar was undisturbed. The class clapped for him.

"Next, Orihime!"

Orihime was already running before Ichigo made to over to the line again. Her jump was different every time. This time, she looked like she was jumping off the high-dive into a pool. Her arms were spread out like a pair of wings, soaring over the bar, head-first. This time it was her large breasts which knocked the bar to the ground.

She went to the back of the line with Ichigo and retold the tale which only happened moments ago in front of so many witnesses. Ichigo listened anyway. Tatsuki went next. Her jump was successful, but she came very close to missing this time. Next up was Keigo.

The breeze picked up and Ichigo turned his head to greet it. He let the wind blow through his orange hair, cooling the sweat on his forehead. The wind had picked up the scent of grass and trees. He could feel the warm sun on his face. The breeze had blown the clouds across the sky, clearing a path for the sunlight. He much preferred to be outside than in class on a day like this. His teacher was going to be passing their tests back after lunch today and he wasn't sure how he did. He was sure he passed but couldn't swear he got all the questions correct. Many students were dreading returning to class after lunch.

"Are you kidding me, Keigo?!"

Ichigo looked forward and saw Keigo sitting on the ground with the metal bar in his lap. He missed again. Not only that, but he failed to jump again as well.

"That's no fair! The sun was in my eyes!"

* * *

It was lunch time. Ichigo went up to the roof with his friends like he always did and ate with them. Keigo kept complaining about gym class, letting no one get a word in edgewise.

"I think the best part was when the teacher started to beat you with the bar," Ichigo told him when Keigo finally stopped to catch his breath.

"It's not funny! I'm pretty sure he left a mark on my ass. Here, look."

"Get away from me!"

"You did piss him off a little, Mr. Asano," said Mizuiro.

Keigo whined loudly. "How am I ever going to get to show off to the ladies my true power and skill with things like this happening to me? He chased me all around the yard, making me look like a little baby!"

"You think you're going to get the ladies' attention by doing well in the high jump?"

"Totally. I have it all worked out on a chart I made. They'll think I'm cool and awesome and totally skilled and start following me around asking for my autograph and begging me for dates. You know, stuff like that."

"That's just sad, Keigo."

"I have to agree with Ichigo."

"Uh-huh."

"Nobody asked you!" Keigo leaned over and looked down at Ichigo's sandwich. "Did you make that or did your sister?"

"She did. But the chips and carrots are mine."

"Do you ever make your own lunch, Ichigo?"

He sighed. "Whenever I do, Yuzu always gets sad. I guess she feels that me doing that is kind of like saying that I don't like her food. So I just let her. It makes her happy."

"I'm glad you get along well with your sisters. I'm scared of mine." Keigo shuddered.

"Who isn't? She scares me, too," said Mizuiro.

"So what have you got today, Ichigo? Is that ham, same as last time?"

"No. Egg salad. Why? Do you want some?"

"Depends. How much mayo is in it?"

"Not a lot. She doesn't put too much in it." Ichigo tore off a corner and handed it to Keigo. "Here."

Keigo opened his mouth and took the torn piece of sandwich out of Ichigo's hand with his teeth. Ichigo pulled back, wiping his hand off on his pants.

"Don't do that! Take it with your hand! Your hand!"

"My hands are full!" Keigo said with his mouth packed with egg salad.

"You should eat your own lunch, Mr. Asano."

He chewed and swallowed and took a bite out of his salami stick. "I just wanted to try it. Besides, all I have is this. My mom didn't go shopping yet so I had to take whatever my sister left for me. Dad took the rest with him for lunch."

"There was nothing left but that?"

"I'm not bringing a can for lunch. And we were out of bread. Sis used it for her lunch and left me with the empty bag."

"Sorry to hear that, Mr. Asano."

"It's fine." Keigo leaned over. "Hey, Chad, you gonna eat that?"

"I intended to."

* * *

After lunch, everyone returned to class and had their test passed back. The teacher placed Ichigo's face-down on his desk like she did with everyone else's. He wasn't nervous. He knew he passed. He turned it over without hesitation and looked at his grade in the top right corner: 95. He had only missed two questions, which wasn't bad at all. He put his test away and took out his notebook. The next lesson was about to begin.

After the final bell, everyone was dismissed. As Ichigo packed up his things, he felt someone slam something onto his desk and looked up. Keigo was sitting on the corner of his desk, palms down on Ichigo's bag. "What?"

"What did you get on the test? Huh? Huh? What'd you get?"

"A 95."

"What?!" Keigo screamed. "How could you, Ichigo? You're such a traitor."

"Huh?"

Keigo sprang up from the desk, throwing his hands into the air dramatically. "Ichigo Kurosaki! Secret nerd! When were you going to tell me?!"

Ichigo continued to pack his things, ignoring him.

"Fine. Be that way. Too good to hang out with us normal students, I see. Come on, Chad. Let's go. We'll leave the nerd to his studies. Us failures have places to be."

"Actually, I got the same grade." Chad held up his test with a 95 in the top corner.

Keigo cried out as if someone had hit him with a baseball bat. "Well, at least I know you have my back, right, Mizuiro? That test was hard so I'm sure you didn't get a 95, too."

"Nope," he smiled. "I got 100."

Keigo banged his head on the desk. "Am I the only one who failed it? I got a 48! That test was hard!"

"It's not hard if you study," said Mizuiro, taking out his cell phone.

"I did! I studied with the TV on like I always do!"

"That's not a good habit. No wonder you failed. You're not supposed to do it with the TV on."

"I need background noise."

"Then why don't you listen to music or something? I listen to classical music when I study. It really helps." Mizuiro started texting.

"But all those studies are for babies and how listening to that stuff with make them smarter. I'm not a baby. It won't help me none."

"In your case, I'd try it anyway," said Ichigo.

"Ok, smart guy!" Keigo leaned into Ichigo's face, resting his upper weight on the top of Ichigo's bag. "Do you listen to classical music when you study?"

"Sometimes. I usually do it in silence if I can." He pulled his bag out from under Keigo and watched him fall to the ground, but not before smashing his chin into the desk on his way down. "I listen to rock, too."

"See, I can't do that because then I start to sing along to the lyrics and focus more on the words then what I'm studying." Mizuiro stepped over Keigo's body, following after Ichigo and Chad. "Background music is good. Something without too many lyrics… or at least sung in a language I don't understand so much. You should really get off the floor, Mr. Asano."

"Is anybody going to help me up?!"

* * *

Everyone left school and went home in the same direction. One by one they all left until only Ichigo was left. He went straight to his house and called out once he was inside the door. His sister's shoes were missing. They were usually home before he was on a school day. He wondered where they could have been. He removed his own shoes and stepped inside. The house was empty. This was odd but he thought little of it. As he started up the stairs, he heard his sister calling him from the other side of the house. "Ichigo? You home?"

"Yeah!" Ichigo turned back down the stairs. "I'm here, Yuzu!"

"Oh, good! Dad and I are doing some things in the clinic, but don't worry! Dinner will be on time as usual."

"That's great. What are we having?"

"Beef stew tonight!"

"Sounds good. I'll be down in a bit."

"Ok!"

Ichigo started back up the stairs, now knowing where at least one of his sisters were. As he reached the top step, he walked straight to his room, peering into his sisters' for a moment. Karin's soccer ball was missing. Ichigo had a pretty good idea where she was. He continued on and didn't stop until he reached his bedroom. Once inside he closed the door and let out a deep sigh. It was good to be home.

He set his bag down on his desk chair and started to unpack his things. He took out his notebook and his math book and set them down on top of his desk. He had plenty of homework to keep him busy tonight. Thankfully things hadn't been too busy around Karakura Town for a while. There were very few Hollow attacks in his area. No complaints there.

He had no intention of doing his homework then and there, but he wanted to get everything situated for when he was finally ready. He had everything he needed except for a pencil. He looked around his desk. He had plenty of pens but no pencils. He started to look around in desk drawers trying to find one. He looked in the top left drawer. Plenty of paper and notebooks, but no pencil. He looked in the drawer under it. Magazines and a plush lion, absent one Mod Soul, but no pencil. He opened the top right drawer and stopped.

The drawer was filled with torn envelopes and different colored pieces of paper. There was also a notepad and a stationery which Ichigo found himself using from time to time given to him by the very person who sent him those letters. They were all from Linnette. On top of the pile of papers was a thin chain bracelet, given to him by Linnette the last time they parted ways. It had been quite a while since he had last looked upon any of these. Her last latter was sent to him a little less than one month ago. Each one of her letters varied in length, nearly all of which were covered in colorful stickers and doodles. She wasn't a very good artist, but she was better than Rukia. Linnette drew a lot of cats and dogs whereas Rukia drew bunnies and that was pretty much it.

Ichigo pulled out the stack of recently received letters and started to skim over them.

_Dear, Ichigo. How are you? I'm fine. Today I went shopping with Victor. He bought me a new dress. It's yellow and white. Because I'm so pale, yellow doesn't look very good on me but this one did so we got it. I also got jeans and some shirts. The jeans are baggy. I don't like things that are too tight_.

He went to the next letter.

_Dear, Ichigo. Today I went to my friend's birthday party. She just turned 14. I'll be turning 14 in a couple months. Then we'll be like twins. I wasn't sure what to get her, so I asked Cedric to help me pick something out in the mall. She likes horses a lot so I got her a plushie. It's a brown horse. It looked like she liked it. We had cake at the party. It was yellow cake but it had jelly in the middle and I don't like jelly very much so I just ate around it. We played games, too. I didn't win. Another girl did. But that's ok. I spilled some soda on my shirt. I hope Victor can get the stain out. I like that shirt. It has flowers on it. One of the girls at the party was playing with us and she ended up ripping part of her shirt. Since it was just us girls there, she took it off and went to ask my friend's mom if she could fix it just when her dad came home and saw her. It was so funny. But she was embarrassed. She's bigger than I am so none of my things would fit her_.

Ichigo looked at another.

_Dear, Ichigo. My friend's pretty upset. Her pet cat died and she's too sad to play with us today. She's been like this for days. I'm worried about her. Sorry. I'm just really bored so I decided to write_.

Ichigo went to the letter at the bottom of the pile. It was covered with animal stickers.

_Dear, Ichigo. Today was a good day. I helped Victor cook in the kitchen today. I learned how to make grilled cheese and tomato soup. He even let me make it all by myself. But he stayed with me and watched anyway. He tasted it and everything. He said it turned out good. I also got Cedric to play video games with me since my friends couldn't come over. It started to rain so we didn't get to play outside. I went outside anyway to get the mail so they wouldn't have to. I was soaked but they weren't mad. Victor told me to stay put and he got a towel and got me dry. It was fun. I like playing in the rain but Victor's afraid I'll get a cold. He made me a hot bath. I had to get out quick because there was a thunder storm. I wasn't scared. I like storms. I watched it with Cedric. The lightning was really cool. The wind was awesome. The trees in our yard were really blowing. Victor wouldn't let me use the TV or anything electronic because of the storm. It was ok. We did other things like watch the storm. It started to die down then it started up again. When I went to bed it was still storming out. I'm glad I wasn't outside then_.

Ichigo looked at the bottom of the letter where Linnette had drawn stick figures representing herself and Victor and Cedric watching the storm over her house. She didn't need anything fancy or more than what she had. She was content with things as they were.

It was a shame that Linnette lived so far away. Her home resided in New York city. There she lived with Victor and Cedric, two inhuman men who had become her family and lived to protect her and see to her every need. Ichigo had grown fond of that young girl. She had this charm about her that made it easy to experience what it was like to be a child again. She acted very childish at times but she just wanted to have as much fun as she could and live life to its fullest. They wrote to each other from time to time. Unfortunately, Ichigo hadn't been keeping up with it as much as he used to when the letters first started. He had missed writing back to her last two letters. He responded to the one he had gotten at the beginning of this month, getting back into the habit. Sometimes he would write to her to let her know that he wrote to her because he wanted to and not just because she wrote to him first. Every now and then he did miss her. But he had his own life here with plenty of other friends who he, too, had grown fond of. The same way she had her own life there.

Ichigo folded up the letters and stuffed them back into the drawer. He should write back, but not now. That could wait. Right now he wanted to relax and do nothing for a while. As he closed the drawer, he heard something rattling around at the bottom. He reached under the letters and pulled out a pencil. Grinning, Ichigo tossed it onto his notebook and closed the drawer.

* * *

Doesn't this chapter make you smile? I smile ^^

Please review! ^-^


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

So far, things had been moving slowly in regards to Mayuri's latest experiment. Illegal experiment to be precise. Veneno was alive again, though the details of Veneno's condition were still unknown to Akon. He had no way of knowing if this was really Veneno brought back to life or a clone or something else. Such details didn't matter to him at the moment so he decided to put it out of his mind for now.

Ever since Veneno was awakened from his chamber, Akon had been at Veneno's side every moment from the moment he woke up to the moment Veneno fell asleep. Mayuri had ordered him to take careful notes on everything Veneno did. No detail was too small. Akon didn't see too much to report the first day. Veneno did 'a whole lot of nothing' as Akon wrote in the notebook. He never spoke and couldn't walk. It was easy to keep an eye on him in that regard.

The clothes they had given to Veneno were temporary. Everything was temporary. Even his sleeping quarters. Mayuri had laid down a sheet, the same sheet which had once covered Veneno's tank, and used it for Veneno's bed on the floor of a closet. That was where he slept. At night, they locked it to make sure he couldn't wander out without their knowing. Other than that, Akon knew very little else about what Veneno needed. Since he couldn't make his wants known verbally, Akon had to guess at everything.

Today, Akon had to take his lunch into the lab in order to eat. He was ordered not the leave Veneno's side if he could. He managed to sneak away to get food and return before anyone had noticed. If Mayuri had found out, Akon was sure to suffer his wrath.

There Veneno sat in his closet. He looked up when Akon returned, leaning his head out the open door. Akon sat down by the wall and started to eat what little food he managed to sneak in. He opened his mouth and puased, sensing someone staring at him. He looked to the side. Veneno was watching him with hungry eyes. Akon lowered his hand, looking back. "What?"

To no surprise, Veneno didn't answer.

Akon continued to stare at him. "What is it?"

Veneno's stomach answered for him. It made a strange gurgling sound like something being squeezed. This sensation was new to Veneno. It was possible that he couldn't tell its meaning.

"Are you hungry?" Akon looked down at the food in his hand. "Leave it to the Captain not to tell me if he needed to be fed or not. Damn… What if he came back only to discover that his little experiment starved to death? Fool." Akon tore off a piece of bread and held it out for Veneno. "Here."

He didn't move.

Did he not know how to eat? It was so basic. Perhaps he didn't know it was food.

Akon held up his piece of bread and tore off a piece in his teeth and chewed it nosily, with plenty of exaggerated movements to give Veneno the idea. "See? Like this. Eating. That's eating."

Veneno titled his head to one side. Then he looked at the bread still being held out for him.

"You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?" Akon rolled his eyes and picked up one of Veneno's hands, placing the piece of bread into his palm. "There. Now eat it. Surely you can do that."

Veneno looked at the bread. He looked up at Akon. He saw the remaining bread closed in his hand. Remembering what Akon had done a moment ago, Veneno imitated his actions, lifting the bread up to his mouth and taking a bite. He chewed it and swallowed.

Akon gave him a nod of approval and sat back, relieved. "You got it. Thank God. I didn't want to have to feed you, too."

Veneno's hand reached out and grabbed the bread Akon was still holding and shoved it in his mouth. Akon jumped aside and looked down. Veneno was stuffing as much food as he could into his mouth, eating it all. All Akon could do was stare.

"Hungry, huh?" Akon said after a moment. Seeing Veneno act like this reminded him of a hungry dog, unable to wait for his master to give him the food. Akon picked up the water he had brought down with him and held it out for Veneno. "Thirsty? Here."

This looked different to Veneno. This was clear and he couldn't touch it. With Akon's help, he managed to drink it all down. He sat back, panting. That was his first meal. Mayuri had no idea of knowing if he needed food or not so he had neglected to give him anything to survive. Akon gave him food and water. That strange unpleasant feeling in his stomach had stopped. He felt satisfied for the first time. It felt good.

Akon leaned against the wall with a sigh. "Looks like I'll have to wait 'til dinner before I can eat. Unless I can sneak off again… Thanks a lot." Every last piece of food he had smuggled down was now in Veneno's stomach.

When Akon looked at Veneno this time, he noticed something he hadn't seen before. Veneno was smiling.

Akon blinked. This was the first time Veneno had showed any signs of emotion. He was smiling at him. Akon grabbed the notebook and scribbled it down. Veneno watched him curiously.

Things were getting interesting for the both of them.

* * *

For the next couple of days, Akon kept a close eye on Veneno. Mayuri would come down whenever he had a chance to check up on them and look Veneno over. He would run some tests on him, but nothing too painful. He seemed to be trying to figure out how much Veneno knew. Veneno had improved over the past few days and had learned quite a few things. He was still mute, however. But he had learned how to stand up on his own and walk. It was like watching a baby taking its first steps. He learned quickly and was soon wandering around the lab. Thankfully, he didn't touch too many things and kept his hands to himself for the most part.

Mayuri gave Akon a change of clothes and ordered him to exchange them with what Veneno was wearing now. He also instructed Akon to start giving Veneno tasks to perform and take notes on how well he did them. They were simple tasks which most anyone could perform. Veneno was asked to bring things to them and move things around and carry boxes and bottles. They soon found that Veneno was extremely clumsy. Though he tried many times to complete the tasks given to him, he failed most of the time. When he reached for something on a table, his whole body would move forward, not just his arm, causing him to bump into the table and knock everything down. When he carried boxes, or at least tried to, his grip would fail and he would drop whatever he was carrying on the floor. Same thing went for bottles as well. They shattered on the ground every time they asked him to hold them in his hands.

As the one constantly cleaning up after him, Akon quickly came to resent Veneno. As he swept up Veneno's latest mess, he looked across the room at the man standing by a table. Veneno looked like he belonged in Squad 12 because of the uniform he was wearing. He was given a hakama to wear in addition to the lab coat he wore over his bare chest. The coat fit him like a shirt instead of how it was supposed to because he wasn't wearing anything under it. Mayuri never bothered to find him clothes that actually fit him. Even the hakama was too baggy for him. They had to hold it up with a rope, never able to find a belt for him instead. But Veneno never complained. Not that he could.

Thinking about everything that had happened so far, Akon came up with an idea now that Mayuri had left to his next appointment. "Hey, Veneno. Come here."

Veneno understood what they told him most of the time. He understood simple commands, such as 'come here' and 'go there' and 'stop'. He knew what his name was on the very first day. It seemed that he was a fast learner, but needed to be taught how to do almost everything. He even had to be shown how to eat solid foods, something which should have been instinctive.

Veneno stood in front of Akon. Akon handed him the mop he was using to clean the floor. "Clean this up," he told him. Veneno took the mop but didn't do anything else. "Clean. You know, clean?" Veneno stood there. Rolling his eyes, Akon showed him what to do. "Watch me and copy what I do, ok?"

The man with brown hair stood there and watched what Akon did. He pushed the mop over the mess on the floor. Then Akon handed him the mop again. He took Veneno's hands and placed them on the wooden stick and started to move his body for him, showing him what to do. When Akon let go, Veneno was still pushing the mop across the floor. He was cleaning.

"Good. Keep that up, ok?"

"Ok."

Akon's jaw dropped. "What did you just say?"

Veneno looked at him, still pushing the mop. "Ok."

"You can talk?!" This was Veneno's first word. He had never spoken until now. He felt around for the notebook but couldn't find it. "Where's my notebook?" He felt around in his pockets and in his jacket.

Veneno picked something up off a table and handed it to him. "Here."

Akon blinked. His second word. He slowly reached out and took the book handed to him. "Uh… thanks." He opened to one of the pages and started to write this down. Veneno looked at him curiously, the movements of his mop slowly. Akon then looked up at Veneno. Their eyes met. "So you can speak. Right?"

Veneno didn't say anything.

"Say 'ok'."

"Ok."

"So you can speak. I knew I wasn't imagining things. Can you say anything else?"

Veneno looked unsure. Did he not understand? Was that all he could say?

Akon moved closer and pointed at himself. "Do you know what my name is?"

He nodded.

"Tell me. What's my name?"

"Akon."

"Good. And what is your name?"

"My name..?"

"Yes. What is your name? Do you know?"

Veneno looked down. Did he not know? He lifted his head again and looked at Akon. "Veneno."

Akon nodded. "That's right. Very good."

For the second time, Akon saw Veneno smile. "My name is Veneno." He looked happy to be able to say that.

Akon smiled back at him. "That's right. Very good." He started to write this all down.

Veneno leaned forward, leaning on the mop in his hands. "What are you writing?"

Akon looked up. His vocabulary was larger than he realized. He could even ask questions and use words he hadn't been introduced to yet. Akon closed the book so Veneno wouldn't see what he was writing. He had no idea if Veneno could read either but wasn't about to risk him looking at the notes. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just keeping notes of things. Don't worry about it."

"Ok." The mop slipped out from under Veneno and he fell forward. Akon reached out and grabbed Veneno's arm, keeping him from hitting his head on the ground. Veneno sat there on his knees, still holding the mop in one hand. He blinked and looked up at Akon. The Third Seat helped him up. He brushed off Veneno's hakama and told him to be more careful. "Ok," he said again.

* * *

It had happened so fast that Akon had barely noticed any change. His mornings consisted of him making his commute to the lab deep underground after breakfast, if there was time, and then spending the entire day looking after Veneno. He would leave for lunch and bring some food back for Veneno to eat since Mayuri had neglected to do so on a number of occasions. After he had eaten, Veneno would return to his chores for the afternoon, which consisted of simple tasks such as moving things around carrying boxes and papers. He cleaned any mess he made, getting better as time went on. He wasn't very talkative but they made brief exchanges whenever they passed each other. Other than that, the only time Veneno ever heard Akon's voice was when he was giving him a new task to complete. He was very obedient. In fact, he seemed happy to do it. Then as night fell, Veneno's movements began to slow and he would be locked back into the closet for the night to rest. Then Akon would return to the barracks, get some dinner and then go straight to bed. In the morning he would do the same thing all over again. It had become a routine.

Slowly, Akon became aware of the changes in Veneno. He had become less clumsy and more talkative as time went on. Soon, he didn't have to be told what to do. He had fallen into a routine as well and knew what was expected of him. He could do his chores without having to be told. When he made a mess, he cleaned it without having to be told and knew how to clean the mess. He was a fast learner. In time, Akon almost looked forward to coming into the lab to watch him. He no longer had to do everything for him and could sit back and relax while he watched Veneno do everything. Veneno had learned how to dress himself days ago. He could walk and speak and eat and drink and do many other things unknown to him before with ease. Akon barely had to do a thing. All he had to do now was take notes.

Which may have been why he started to grow careless when he traveled to and from the lab. Veneno had expressed a curiosity for where Akon kept going to everyday when he wasn't in the lab. He almost always came back with food. Veneno was trained enough to know when things happened and what to do at certain times. He knew when Akon would leave and what he was expected to do during that time. He couldn't help but wonder where the food came from everyday.

Today, Akon told Veneno that he was leaving to get something to eat and instructed him to clean the tables while he was gone. Veneno agreed and set to work. He moved the things off the tables and wiped off the surface with a moist cloth. Then he placed the objects back on the tables. Today he didn't break a thing. He didn't spill anything or knock anything over so he didn't have to clean up any messes. He was finished within a few minutes. Now that his task was done, it was time for food. He turned around and faced the door to the lab. This was about the time Akon would return with something to eat. He had yet to return.

Veneno tilted his head to one side. When you called someone's name, they came. Perhaps if he called for him, he would come. "Akon." The door didn't open. Maybe he couldn't hear him. He moved closer to the door and called again a little louder. "Akon!" Still no one came.

He looked around the lab. Perhaps he should look for him. He had always wondered where the food was coming from. All he knew was that Akon brought it to him everyday. It had to be coming from somewhere. He moved across the lab and over to the steel door which Akon used everyday to come in and out of this room. Veneno put his hand on the handle and gave it a squeeze, he felt the latch inside the door shift and pulled the heavy door open with one good tug. Akon had neglected to lock the door like he always did when he left. He had grown careless.

Veneno stuck his head out the door and looked around. It was a dark, narrow hallway. To the right was a dead end. To his left was a staircase going up to another floor. He had never been outside the lab before and wanted to explore. His stomach growled. He always got his food around this time from Akon but he wasn't back yet to feed him. Motivated by hunger and thirst for adventure, Veneno stepped out into the hallway and started to move slowly toward the stairs. The tiled floor was the same as in the lab. So was the high ceiling. The familiarity gave him comfort on his journey. Once he reached the stairs, he began to notice a difference. He had never traveled up stairs before and these steps were made from something different than he was used to seeing. They were made of metal and made a strange hollow sound when stepped on. Wanting to explore, Veneno started up the stairs one step at a time. Every step echoed off the tall walls. It was a long way up. This was the farthest he had ever traveled. Veneno began to feel scared.

Once he reached the top of the long staircase, he wanted to turn back. He had no idea what was up here. He gulped, nervous. He started to hear voices and moved closer to where they were coming from. He traveled down another hallway and stopped. People were running from room to room carrying various objects around and talking loudly. He planted his back to the wall as a man passed him by carrying a tray of tools over to a strange-looking machine. Veneno had never seen so many people before. He only knew three people and they were the only ones who came into his lab. So there were others.

"One side."

Veneno moved out of the way as another man passed him by. This man looked different from Mayuri and Akon. He had dark skin and no horns. More people passed him by, each one different from the other. Some looked human and others did not. This was very exciting.

"You there, what are you doing standing around?"

Veneno turned around. A chubby man standing about chest height to himself was standing behind him, looking impatient. Veneno didn't know how to answer this man. "I was just looking around," he answered honestly.

"Well, enough of that. Here." The man shoved some tools into his arms and pointed down another hall. "Make yourself useful and take these to 713b, got it?"

"Uh…"

"Go! Move it! The Captain's got us all working around the clock on these damn projects. We need all the help we can get."

"Ok." Veneno was shoved down the hall, his heels dragging across the smooth surface of the floor and over to a room where several other people were working. They were all wearing the same outfit he was, only they fit them better. A man waved him over to a machine and Veneno went over to him. "Yeah?"

"Hand me a ratchet, would you?"

Veneno looked down at the objects in his arms. "Uh…"

"This one here." The man took the tool from the pile in his arms. "Are you new or something?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so."

"Well, learn fast or get lost, got it?"

"Got it."

Another man called him over to the corner of the room. "Hey, you! Come here! Quickly!"

Veneno turned on the ball of his foot and in no time found himself standing beside the man who called him. Veneno looked down at his legs. He had never moved that fast before. That was amazing! He looked at the man but he didn't seem to have noticed.

"Hand me that bottle in your hand and fetch me one of those over there."

Veneno turned his head and looked at the beaker on a shelf by a bookcase. After handing the man the bottle, he went and retrieved the beaker filled with blue liquid. He handed it to the man. The man started to lift it up to a vile of green puss. Veneno frowned, remembering something that happened to him in the lab when he had mixed those two things together. "But if you mix those, it will bubble and burn a hole in the wood."

"I know what I'm doing." He started to pour the mixtures together. On contact, it started to bubble and spill over the side of the beaker. "Whoa!" The man jumped back. Veneno shoved an empty glass under the bubbling goop, saving the table from being ruined. The man let the goop drip into the glass and looked up at Veneno. "Thanks for that."

"You're always doing that, you klutz. Next time the guy tells you it's gonna blow, listen to him!" another man yelled from across the room.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry."

"Hey, you." Veneno turned around and found a stack of papers being shoved into his face. "Set those things down and takes these reports to the lab upstairs. And be quick about it."

"Ok." Veneno set the things down and took the papers in their place, leaving the room. He just had to go to the lab upstairs. And to be quick about it. He looked down at his legs, deciding to try that thing again. He bent his knees and sprang up. In a flash he found himself on the other side of the hall by a staircase. Smiling, he flashed up the stairs, moving quicker than the eye could see. He reached the lab upstairs and found even more people rushing around like a swarm of cockroaches. "I… was asked to deliver these," he said holding up the papers.

Someone snatched them out of his hand. "Thanks."

Another man handed him more papers. "Take these and deliver them over there."

"Ok." Veneno flashed away again and reappeared on the other side of the room. "Do I give these to you?" he asked a man near a computer.

"No," he answered. "You take them in there." He pointed into a room to the right.

"Ok." Veneno went into the room and looked around. There were so many computers in this place. Some were small and others stretched to the ceiling. "Um… where do I put these?" he asked, the papers becoming heavy in his hands.

"I get them. Thanks." A woman took the papers from him and over to a computer. "You many go now. Oh, wait, wait." She pulled something out of a pile near her desk. "Take this to Third Seat Akon, ok?"

Now that person he knew. "Ok!" So these people knew who he was, too. That was amazing. He flashed out of the room, retracing his steps. When he made it to the staircase leading down to the lab where he first started, a hand reached out and grabbed him. "Ah!" he yelped and tried to get a look at who it was.

"What are you doing out here?!" Akon said in a very loud whisper.

Even though Akon's tone was angry, Veneno greeted him with a smile, happy to see him. "Hi, Akon!"

"What are you doing outside of the lab?" he asked again.

"You weren't back so I wanted to look…" He noticed the horrified expression on Akon's face. "What's wrong?"

Akon dragged Veneno down the stairs and back into the lab, slamming the door shut and locking it. Akon never let go of his hold on Veneno's sleeve. After running a hand through his short dark hair, he turned to Veneno and asked, "Did anyone see you?"

"Well… Yeah."

Akon didn't look pleased with his answer.

"They wanted me to help so I did."

Again, Akon didn't look pleased by his answer.

"Did I do something wrong?"

He let out a sigh. "You weren't supposed to leave the lab without me knowing about it, ok?"

"Why?"

"Because…" Akon didn't know how to answer that. He couldn't tell Veneno the real reason why. He had to come up with something. "Because… it's dangerous out there and you might get hurt or hurt someone by accident. Ok?"

"Oh. Ok. Sorry." Veneno looked really upset. Akon didn't mean to upset him. He was sensitive to other's emotions, it seemed. Suddenly, Veneno held something up. "I was asked to give it to you."

"Oh?" Akon took the paper from Veneno and read it. "Oh, this thing…" he sighed. "Since I'm doing other things, I haven't been around to help them out. I have to fill this out."

Akon noticed the sad expression on Veneno's face and tried to think of a way to fix this. He looked over at the table and knew how to take Veneno's mind off of things.

"I'm not mad at you, Veneno. Just worried. But hey, look. I got some food for you."

Veneno's eyes widened and he looked over at the table. Grinning from ear to ear, he flashed over to it and started eating.

Akon's jaw dropped when he saw what Veneno had done. It looked like he had used a flash-step. "How long have you been able to do that?" he asked, shocked.

"Hm?" Veneno asked, in the middle of a bite. "I just did it a few minutes ago when I was up there. They told me to hurry up so I kind of did it. Is that ok?"

Akon nodded, taking out his notebook. "No, no. That's fine. That's great. Good job. Uh… just a second." He scribbled it down in his notes. Veneno had never displayed that ability before.

Veneno shoved the rest of the food into his mouth and looked around at the lab. Now that he was finished eating, he had more tasks to complete. He looked at Akon, swallowing. "What should I do now?"

"Huh? Oh. Um…" All these tasks were meaningless aside from learning how Veneno performed. These chores were just a test of his motor skills, his ability to follow directions among other things. "Uh… why don't you bring that jar over to this table right here, alright?"

"Ok." Veneno got up and went over to a shelf. "Which one?"

"The, uh… the one with the lizard inside."

"Ok." Veneno picked up the jar in both hands and started to walk it over to Akon. He stopped. He looked down at the tiny creature floating in the glass jar. It looked like it was frozen in terror. Or pain. It wasn't moving. This pose didn't look natural. Veneno lifted the jar to his face, getting a better look.

This creature. This jar. It seemed so familiar to him. A tiny creature in a jar. Trapped. On a shelf. In the dark. In a lab.

Veneno's temple started to sting slightly. Then a dull throbbing pain spread throughout his head. Veneno had never felt pain like this before. Was this pain? It felt strange. The pain was getting worse.

Akon looked up from his notes and saw Veneno standing unusually still. He was holding the jar close to his face, frowning. "Veneno?"

"Huh?" He looked away from the jar, now looking at Akon.

"Are you ok?"

"I… yes." Remembering his task, Veneno took the jar over to Akon and set it down on the table. "My head felt a little funny."

"Still?" Akon looked concerned.

"Not really. It went away." Veneno looked worriedly at Akon who hadn't stopped staring at him. "Am I ok?"

After a moment, Akon nodded his head and looked back at his notes. Then he looked at the animal trapped within the jar sitting on the table, inches from Veneno's hand. "Yeah," he said slowly. He stared at the jar. "I'm sure it's nothing."

* * *

Dun-dun-DUN!

Things are starting to happen.

Please review! ^-^


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Tomorrow was Friday and Ichigo couldn't be happier. He wanted this weekend to relax and take a much needed break from everything. His Soul Reaper duties weren't very troublesome this week. Even so, he still wanted a break from doing anything. He decided that this weekend, he was going to lay in bed and do nothing. He would only come downstairs for meals and to see what was on TV. The first thing he was going to do the instant he got home was take a hot shower and then a nap. That would be a great way to start off his weekend. He couldn't wait for tomorrow to end.

"Ichigo!"

He turned around. That was Rukia's voice. She was running up behind him, passing people by with ease. No one but Ichigo knew she was there. "Rukia, what are you doing here? Assignment or something?"

She stopped beside him. She made her point at once. "I need you to come to the Soul Society with me right away. Captain Ukitake wishes to speak with you as soon as possible."

"What? Why?"

"He wouldn't say. He just told me to bring you as soon as I could. Hurry up."

He wished he was given a little more notice but this was how things in his life seemed to work so he didn't complain. He swallowed the Mod Soul and stepped out of his body. "Ok, Kon, I need you to-"

"Rukia!" Kon reached out to grab Rukia but she stomped him in the gut as soon as he tried. "How could you do this to me, sister?"

"Rukia, that's my body you're pummeling."

"Yes, but he's the one in it. It's nothing personal. Let's go."

"Still…" Ichigo followed her, leaving Kon far behind. "Kon, go home and stay out of trouble!" Ichigo called as he left the World of the Living, even knowing that Kon was probably not going to listen to him anyway.

* * *

They wasted no time getting to Ukitake's office. Rukia knocked on the door and pulled Ichigo inside the moment they were given permission to enter. The Captain was sitting at his desk looking paler than usual. He gave Ichigo a welcoming smile and waved them both forward.

"It's good to see you, Ichigo. I'm sorry you have to see me in this state. I've been home the past few days and came in this morning. I'm sure you're busy so I'll try to keep this short. Sorry about the inconvenience."

"That's ok," Ichigo told him. He knew the Captain wasn't feeling well and took pity on him. He had no hard feelings towards Ukitake at all. He didn't want to make this any harder for him by complaining. "What did you need?"

"I wanted to get a report from you. Is that ok? It won't take long."

"A report?" Ichigo repeated. "Uh… sure."

"Good. Good, good…" Ukiatke took out a piece of paper and started to write things down. "Ok… Uh, first of all, I wanted to ask you how things were going in your area. Anything unusual happening in Karakura Town?"

"No more than usual."

"Ok." Ukitake wrote something down. "Um… How many Hollows have appeared in your area? That you're aware of."

"Not very many. I'm guessing around 3 or 4 in the past couple of weeks."

"Ok. And how many Konsos have you performed this month?"

"Three."

"Ok." Ukitake wrote this down on the paper.

Ichigo waited. Even when he was finished writing, Ukitake did not look up from the sheet of paper. Ichigo didn't take his eyes off the Captain, waiting. It seemed that Ukitake was thinking hard about something. Was the next question that difficult to answer?

Ukitake looked up. "Thank you. That's all."

"That's it?" Ichigo raised his brow in confusion. "I came all the way just for..? Never mind. It's ok." He didn't want to stress Ukitake out by complaining. He didn't like how pale Ukitake looked today. He must have been pushing himself just to sit at that desk and take notes.

Ukitake gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry you had to come all the way down here for such a short thing. I know there are other things you'd rather be doing. I appreciate you coming all the way here, though. Thank you."

"Uh, no problem."

The Captain nodded to Rukia. "Thank you for bringing him. I think we're finished. Just keep an eye out, ok?"

"Yes, sir." Rukia bowed to her Captain and escorted Ichigo out of the office.

Once the door was safely shut, Ukitake slumped in his seat, the fake smile gone from his face. He hated lying. But his orders were clear from the last Captain's meeting: do not tell anyone the real reason for this. And he kept his word. He told no one, not even Rukia why he had called Ichigo into his office.

* * *

Akon had been contemplating something for some time now. Through his observations of Veneno, he had learned that he was obedient, a fast learner and eager to help. He had nothing to do all day aside from the chores he was given which he now finished within two hours' time. Akon was stuck keeping an eye on Veneno in the lab and therefore was unable to help his shorthanded staff. As the Third Seat, he had a lot of responsibilities and a lot of things to oversee. He felt like he was cheating his duties and his fellow Squad members by hiding in the lab all day doing nothing.

Out of curiosity, Akon gave Veneno a few new tasks to complete. He wanted to know if he could read or write. Apparently he could. It was like rediscovering a talent long forgotten. Once he started, he picked it up quickly. He had already read through the nature books Akon had given to him. He was quite taken with the pictures of landscapes. All he saw on a day to day basis were steel walls and stone. He had never seen grass before, or sunlight. All he knew was inside this dark lab. While he read, Akon filled out reports. The lab was quiet while they each did their own thing.

"Akon?"

"Hm?" He looked up. Veneno was looking at him from across the table, a large book in his lab.

"I was wondering… Could I go upstairs again?"

Akon was taken by surprise by this sudden and odd request. "What? You want to go up there? Why?"

"I…" Veneno looked down, shyly. "I wanted to see those other people again. They all looked very busy. I was helping them. I kind of wanted to do it again. Besides…" He started to grin, a sparkle coming to his green eyes. "It was really neat up there. So lively. And there were a lot of things up there that I've never seen before. It's cool."

Akon's pen didn't move, dripping ink onto the paper in front of him. This was what he had been wondering for some time. Should he take Veneno out of the lab and put him to work elsewhere? He was no longer challenged down here doing pointless work. He could be upstairs helping people who needed all the help they could get. He was dressed like a Soul Reaper so no one knew he was different. Thanks to his long bangs covering that Hollow mask fragment on his forehead, no one had any idea that he was an Arrancar. No one could tell the difference.

Akon looked down at the black blotches on the paper and set the pen down, getting up. "I'll go ask the Captain right now and see what he says. If he thinks it's a good idea, I'll take you up there."

"Really?" Veneno looked excited.

"I'll ask him. Until I get back, don't leave, ok? Do not leave this room."

"I won't. I'll stay right here." Veneno planted himself in the stool and set his borrowed book on the tabletop. "Hurry back, ok?"

Akon nodded and left without another word. He left through the only door into the lab and this time, he locked it on his way up the stairs. He knew where Mayuri would be around this time and was eager to reach him before he ran off to oversee some other assignment. When he reached the next floor, he saw the Captain moving the other direction. Akon jogged to catch up to him.

"Sir! Captain Kurotsuchi." Akon ran up behind him. "Captain, sir!"

"What is it?!" Mayuri spun around angrily. "I'm very busy. What do you want?"

"I had a question, sir. I'll keep it brief."

"See that you do." Mayuri started walking again, forcing Akon to chase after him.

Knowing that he wasn't allowed to discus the experiment outside of the lab, Akon wondered how he would ask permission with so many people around. "Well, you know that thing we're supposed to keep quiet in the lab?"

"Yes, yes. Get to the point." Mayuri shoved a Soul Reaper out of his way, picking up the pace.

Akon ran to catch up. "Since he is no longer challenged by any of the tasks we've been giving to him, I was thinking that we could have him do other work. So I was wondering if I had permission to have him put to work in other labs. After all, no one will know what's going on. No one really knows what he looks like and it was months ago when…"

"Just do whatever you feel is right. I don't care as long as no one finds out."

Akon dodged a Soul Reaper carrying a tray down the narrow hall. "So I have permission to let him out?"

"Yes! Yes! Permission! Yes! Now leave me be! I'm running late as it is!" Mayuri pushed more people out of his way, called Nemu and the two of them left through a large door leading to the next floor.

Akon knew the Captain was distracted when he answered, but permission was permission. There was no way he could get in trouble if Mayuri allowed him to do as he wished. Shrugging, he returned to the lab to where Veneno was waiting.

Upon his return, Veneno closed the book in his hand and stood up, waiting anxiously for the news.

"Ok. You can come upstairs and work."

Overjoyed, Veneno jumped into the air with a cheer. His jump wasn't controlled and he ended up slamming into the ceiling, bending a metal air duct and falling back down, landing on the table. He rolled off the table and stood up, giving a nervous laugh. "Sorry…"

Akon looked up at the ceiling. That was at least a three story leap. Without the ceiling there to break his jump, he may have traveled even further. "You've got to work on controlling that, man."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I'm trying, though."

* * *

A Captain's meeting was held in secrecy. All the Captains managed to slip away at some point in the day to make it to the meeting room. No one was supposed to know about this. The Captains were sworn not to speak about what the meeting was about or what went on inside to anyone. Not even to each other outside of this room.

"So…" Yamamoto said from his chair. "Ichigo Kurosaki has not noticed anything in Karakura Town?"

"No, sir," said Ukitake. "I questioned him myself. He hasn't noticed anything amiss. According to him, everything is fine."

"I see."

"That can't be right…" said Soi Fon. "At our last meeting, we discovered that something strange was happening. And it revolves around him. He's either the cause of it or the target of it."

"Are you saying we question him?"

"Of course not. We're not allowed to speak of this matter to anyone. Not even him."

"Then what are you suggesting?" asked Unohana.

"I'm suggesting that he could be covering it up. He may be lying."

"How could he be lying if he hasn't been told anything?" asked Shunsui. "No one has spoken a word of these meetings to anyone so how could he have gotten information about it? It's not like anyone could have leaked information to him and come up with a plan, right?"

"He could still be lying!"

"I doubt that."

Unohana looked at the Head Captain. "Sir, what do you think?"

Yamamoto was silent.

"You did have a theory, right, about how Karakura Town could be in danger if Ichigo is involved in anyway?" said Shunsui. "Then what do you suggest?"

Yamamoto lifted his gaze to the Captains in the room. "We keep him under observation for another day. Tomorrow, we will bring him back to the Soul Society and decide from there." He looked down at the staff in his hand. "If need be, we will have no choice but to remove him from the area in order to protect the lives which could be in danger with him around."

* * *

What kept Ichigo motivated was his weekend of nothing. He kept repeating to himself 'weekend of nothing, weekend of nothing' all throughout the day. At last when the bell rang, Ichigo packed up his things and started to leave. Orihime left with Tatsuki and Chad, claiming that she needed his help with something. Ichigo waved good-bye to Keigo and Mizuiro, who were too busy with their own argument to follow after him. It was really more of a one-sided argument seeing how Keigo was doing all the talking.

"I'm just saying that if I was good at sports, I'd get a whole team of fan girls to chase me home everyday. But the teacher keeps giving us these things to do which is a total waste of my talent."

"What's that?" Mizuiro asked.

"How cruel! I suck at grades, so that means all I have left is sports! But there's nothing that I'm good at so no girl will notice me."

"Why don't you join the track team? You're a fast runner. I've seen you."

"But that doesn't count. That's not a real sport where girls come to cheer you on and stuff. Besides, they keep putting those bars in front of you that trip you up."

"You're supposed to jump those, Mr. Asano."

"I know, but I keep hitting my knees on them and then I trip and then I fall over and everyone laughs at me. There's got to be something else."

"There's soccer. Running is involved with that."

"Yeah, but again, I keep tripping over the ball."

Ichigo left the school grounds alone and started walking back to his house. It wasn't long until he noticed that he was being followed. He looked over his shoulder and saw Uryu following him closely. Strange. His house was in the other direction. Ichigo turned around and Uryu flinched.

"Why are you following me?"

"Was I?" Uryu looked around. "Oh. I guess I kind of am. Sorry. Guess I wasn't paying attention."

"Where's your head at today?" This was so unlike Uryu. Orhime spaced out more than anyone else he knew. Was she rubbing off on him? "Why are you spacing out so much?"

"I am not spacing out." Now this was the Uryu Ichigo knew. Uryu turned away bitterly. "Don't jump to conclusions."

"I'm not."

"Sounds like you are." Ichigo turned to leave when Uryu suddenly reached out and grabbed Ichigo's hand. Uryu had a firm hold on him. "Uh…" Ichigo looked down at their clasped hands. "What are you doing?"

Uryu blinked and immediately let go. "I have no idea. It was a reflex or something."

"Strange reflex."

Uryu turned away. "Don't you have something else to do?"

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo left.

That was the strangest thing. Why would Uryu..?

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Uryu, I thought-" It wasn't Uryu. It was Rukia. "Oh, it's you again."

"What kind of greeting is that?" she growled. She took his arm. "Come on. We have to go back to the Soul Society. I was asked to bring you again."

"Now?" Ichigo almost whined. So much for his do nothing weekend. "Ok, fine. Let's make it fast."

"Don't brother changing." Rukia stopped him from becoming a Soul Reaper. "Just come as-is."

* * *

The Soul Society looked exactly the same as it did yesterday. Nothing had changed. Ichigo wondered why he was summoned here twice in two days. What could have been so important?

He was led to Ukitake's office. Inside, he found two other Captains waiting for him on the couch. Shunsui looked pleased to see Ichigo while Hitsugaya looked indifferent. Ukitake was sitting across from them on another couch. He smiled when he saw Ichigo.

"Welcome back, Ichigo. Long time no see."

"It was a joke," said Shunsui. "Lighten up."

Ichigo stood in the middle of the office, looking from Captain to Captain. "So… why am I here again?"

"We have an assignment for you," Ukitake explained. "There has been some suspicious activity and we wanted you to check it out. A team will be dispatched for this mission so you'll have some help. Rukia will be joining you, of course."

"Joy…" Ichigo grunted as Rukia punched him in the spine. "It was a joke, lighten up."

"You will also be joined by my Lieutenant," said Hitsugaya. "Rangiku will be going with you. So will Ikkaku and Yumichika. Depending on how dangerous this mission is, we may be sending others to accompany you."

"So, you're not coming this time, Toshiro?"

"That's Cap-"

"We'd like to get this moving as soon as possible," interrupted Shunsui. "So we'll get everyone together and sent off for this mission. We'll give you more details once everyone is together. Hopefully we can pry Ikkaku away from the training hall for five minutes in order to talk to him. He volunteered but has no idea that you've shown up yet, Ichigo."

"So I was called all the way here to get an assignment?"

"That's correct."

Ichigo gave out a sigh. "You couldn't have just sent Rukia to tell me instead of making me come all the way here and then all the way back to-"

"Oh, you will not be returning to Karakura Town."

Ichigo's head snapped up so fast, he could feel his bone crack. "What?!"

"You're mission is elsewhere. We've already arranged it. You'll have a place to stay and everything you need."

Ukitake nodded. "You'll even have some help with this mission. I'm sure they'll be as willing as ever to assist. As a matter of fact, you'll be staying with them. They've put you up before, haven't they? Not to mention the fact that we're all good friends and have helped each other out in the past."

"Oh, yes. That's true," Shunsui laughed.

Ichigo felt his heart pulsating. He had a feeling that he already knew the answer but had to ask it anyway just to be safe. After all, if he wasn't returning to Karakura Town, there was only one other place he had allies who were more than willing to help him and have helped him in the past.

"Just where exactly am I going for this mission?"

All three Captains turned his way and answered at once.

"New York city."

* * *

And here we go!

Please review! ^-^


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Ichigo banged his head against the wall outside Ukitake's office. It wasn't that he hated the idea of going to the city in America. He just wished that he had been given a little more notice. Though his sisters were used to him disappearing all the time, Ichigo felt bad about not telling them that he was leaving. To the best of their knowledge, he was coming right home after school. He hoped they wouldn't worry.

He banged his head again. He wished they would give him the information about this mission rather than leaving him in the dark like this. What was this mission about? Why did they need so many people? Why did they have to travel so far? What was going on?

He dragged his forehead along the wall until he hit the support beam. It would be nice to see Linnette again after so long. And she did have a nice house. Victor and Cedric would handle everything. Just being around them seemed to ease whatever stress there was in the atmosphere. Linnette always made a game out of everything. Her childishness helped Ichigo to calm down and remember what it was like to be a kid again without any cares or worries. Just play.

"Oh, Ichigo. There you are."

Ichigo took his head off the wall and looked up. "Yeah?"

Ukitake handed him a piece of candy. "I haven't seen Akon for a while, but I hear that he's working so hard. I passed him by earlier today in the hall but he was in a rush. He was carrying some food with him. Poor guy must have to eat in the lab because of all the work Squad 12 is doing. I was hoping that while you're waiting for everyone to arrive, you could take that to him as a gift. I promised him that I would get him something. It's not much but I wanted to cheer him up somehow."

Ichigo took the colorful piece of candy from the Captain and nodded. "Oh. Sure. I guess I could do that."

"Thanks. I would do it myself but I haven't been feeling my best lately. I don't want to collapse and have everyone worry about me."

"No, that's ok. I'll do it. Not a problem." Ichigo stuck the piece of candy into his pocket and left. Thanks to what had happened a few months ago, Ichigo was pretty familiar with the 12th Division's laboratory. He knew how to get there without being told.

Ichigo walked all the way to the Department of Research and Development by himself, the candy tucked safely away in his pocket. He would have made better time had he been in Soul Reaper form, but he didn't feel like changing and leaving his body laying around somewhere. He entered the lab. He blinked letting his eyes adjust to the darkness after coming in from a sunny afternoon. Everyone was rushing around, calling out orders to each other and assembling large objects. It was impossible to tell what they were until they were completely put together.

"Excuse me," he called to a Soul Reaper. "Have you seen Akon?"

"Over there, in that lab room."

"Thanks." Ichigo walked over to the room. Before he entered, he could hear Akon's voice barking orders to another Soul Reaper.

"Take those over there. And you, bring that to research room 45b."

Two Soul Reapers left the room, brushing past Ichigo on his way in. There was Akon, talking with another Soul Reaper with brown hair. He was helping him assemble a cylinder machine in the middle of the room. "Over more. Over, over… Lift up. With your knees. That's it. Over, over. Set it down." The large piece fell into place with a heavy thunk. "Good job. Nice work. Now would you bring me those jars over there, please? And that hammer?"

The Soul Reaper went across the room to a table in the back. Akon stood up, cleaning off his hand on a rag. He started over to the table near the door where Ichigo was standing.

"Hey, Akon."

He looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Ichigo. "Uh…" He looked over his shoulder and then back at the teen in front of him. He tossed down the rag and ran up to him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Captain Ukitake asked me to give this to you." Ichigo pulled out the candy.

Akon didn't even look at it. "I don't want it. I don't care. Leave. Now, Go!" He started shoving Ichigo towards the door.

Ichigo wiggled away and stood on the other side of the table. "What the hell? Is there something you don't want me to see?"

"No. Nothing like that." Akon kept making nervous glances toward the Soul Reaper in the back. "You can go now."

"At least take the candy. I don't want it."

"Ok, I'll take it. Just leave now, ok?"

Ichigo started to walk around the table. "Sheesh. What's your problem?"

"Here are the things you asked for, Akon."

Ichigo stopped. That voice…

"That's good. Set them there, ok?"

"Ok."

Before Akon had a chance to stop him, Ichigo turned his head towards the familiar voice. He knew he had heard it before. He looked towards the Soul Reaper by the next table, setting down the jars and hammer he was asked to bring.

Ichigo's eyes widened. He looked at the face revealed behind the shadow of brown hair and lost his ability to speak. Seeing that face again caused his limbs to stiffen.

That wasn't a Soul Reaper. Though he may have been dressed as one, Ichigo knew better. That was no Soul Reaper. It was an Arrancar.

It was Veneno.

His pounding heart felt like a caged animal trying to burst free from his ribcage. Each heartbeat caused a piece of his memory to come flashing before his eyes. That face. That sad lonely face. That twisted sadistic face. That angry pained face. Veneno's face. The face of the man he killed.

Now he was standing right in front of him, alive and well.

Akon grabbed Ichigo's arm and pulled him away. Ichigo in turn grabbed Akon's and held him in place. "What the hell is going on around here?" Ichigo hissed. "It that… Is that Veneno?"

Akon bit his lip. "Yes. It is."

"How?!" Ichigo's heart was pounding in his ears, making him feel dizzy. "I thought… I thought I killed him. Didn't I?"

"Well…" Akon looked down momentarily. "More or less."

"How did this happen? What happened? How is this possible? What the hell were you thinking?"

"Hey, I had nothing to do with this decision. This was all Mayuri's idea. He's the one who did it."

"Why the hell would he do such a thing? What the hell is wrong with him?"

Akon twisted his jacket free from Ichigo's fist. "He wanted to see if he could. Look, I wasn't given the details. I have no idea if the Captain brought him back to life or if he had cloned him or what. All I know for sure is that he is not of Gigai technology. His mannerisms and physical being aren't consistent with it. One of the other two must be it…"

Ichigo couldn't believe it. The man he killed… the man who had brought suffering to so many people and brought the Soul Society to its knees and turned so many people into Hollow Reapers… was alive again. Ichigo had always regretted killing Veneno, taking pity on him after how much he had suffered and continued to suffer, but knew that he had no choice. He had killed him. And here he was, walking around as if nothing had happened.

"I don't… understand…" he breathed. "How… could… Why..?"

"It's like I said. It was the Captain's idea. Not mine."

"But why would he want to? Surely he knows how dangerous he is!"

"Actually…" Akon moved closer to whisper to Ichigo. "This isn't the same Veneno you knew before. He has no memory."

He stopped breathing for a moment. "What?"

"Total memory blank. He has no idea about anything. Clean slate. Hell, I had to show him how to eat. Thank God he knows how to dress himself now. I've been keeping an eye on him and taking notes on everything he's been doing."

"So…" Ichigo looked over at the man cleaning up a spill on the table. "He doesn't remember anything..? At all?"

"Not a thing. So it's safe to say that he doesn't know what happened those months ago. You know… The Hollow Reaper thing."

"What about his powers? His cloning ability and infecting other people?"

Akon shrugged. "Actually, I don't think he has those powers anymore. He didn't have a sword with him when he came to, so I doubt he would be able to. He hasn't shown any ability to do so…"

"Won't the other Soul Reapers get a little, I don't know, panicky when they see a freaking Arrancar walking around who turned them all into Hollow Reapers and had them attacking their friends and whatnot?"

"Actually, most of the Soul Reapers had never seen him in his Arrancar form so no one knows what he looks like. And if anyone does, everyone has a huge memory blank so they wouldn't know anyway."

Ichigo lowered his head. That made sense. As long as his mask fragment was kept hidden no one would know. Besides, his Spiritual Pressure was strange. Most of the time it was as if he didn't have any Spiritual Pressure. He was dressed like a Soul Reaper so everyone assumed that he was. This could work.

"Just don't tell anyone, ok, Ichigo? This experiment was supposed to be kept a secret. If word gets out Mayuri's going to be in a crap load or trouble and I can only imagine what's going to happen to me just for following orders. Can I trust you not to say anything, Ichigo?"

Ichigo frowned. "Well…"

"Promise me!"

"Ok, ok! I promise," Ichigo said without thinking. Now that he had given his word, he couldn't go back on it. "I won't tell anyone. I promise I won't say a thing."

"Good." Akon let go of Ichigo's wrist which he had been holding this entire time. "Thanks."

"Yeah." Ichigo looked over at the new Veneno. This one did appear different. It wasn't his outfit. It was his expression. He actually looked… happy. Ichigo had never seen him like this before. "So… he doesn't know anything? He doesn't remember anything from that time?"

"That's right." Akon scratched his ear. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Uh…"

Before he could answer, Akon called him over. "Hey, Veneno. Come here a second, would you?"

Veneno set down what he was doing and hurried over. "Yeah? What is it?"

"I want you to meet someone." He pushed Ichigo forward. "He's a good friend."

Veneno stepped forward and then stopped, staring at Ichigo. He looked Ichigo up and down. When he got to Ichigo's face, he stopped, staring. There was something about this boy that was so familiar to him but he couldn't understand why. They had never met before. Right?

Akon placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "This is Ichigo."

The moment he heard that name it was as if someone had stung him in the back with a high voltage wire. Veneno went rigid and began to tremble. His eyes widened, staring into Ichigo's brown eyes. Ichigo watched as Veneno's pupils rapidly shrank and then… he screamed.

"Huraaagh!" Veneno clasped a hand to his skull as if in terrible pain and hunched forward.

"Veneno?" the two said at once.

Veneno cried out in pain and fell to his knees. Ichigo ran forward and took Veneno's shoulders in his hands, trying to comfort him.

"Veneno? Are you ok?"

Veneno's free hand reached up and grabbed Ichigo's wrist. "Ichigo… Kurosaki..!" he snarled, sounding as if he were about to tear into him like an angry bear. Then Veneno's grip went lack and he slowly lifted his head, looking up at him.

Ichigo expected to be met with the surly eyes of the Arrancar he once knew, but instead he was met with soft green eyes, almost child-like. Veneno tilted his head to one side and slowly let his arm fall to his side, his fingertip brushing his bangs off his mask fragment for a moment.

"Are you ok?" Ichigo asked, genuinely worried about him.

"Y-yeah… I think so…"

Akon came and knelt beside them. "What happened to you just now?"

"I don't know. My head started to hurt really bad. But it went away now."

Akon took out a notebook and a pen. "Does that happen a lot to you?"

"No, not really. Why?" Veneno suddenly looked worried. "Is that ok? What does that mean? Am I sick or something?"

"Uh… No. No. You're not sick. Just a headache. Everybody gets them."

"Really?" Veneno seemed to take Akon's word for it. Ichigo helped Veneno to his feet and brushed him off. Veneno looked back at Ichigo's face, studying him. "It's strange…"

Ichigo looked into his green eyes.

"It feels like… I've met you before somehow." He moved closer. Ichigo could feel his hot breath on his chin as Veneno leaned into his face. "You're name is Ichigo, right?"

"Yes," Ichigo answered.

Veneno moved back. "Ichigo…" He looked down and repeated the name three more times to himself before looking up with a smile. "My name is Veneno."

Akon flicked Veneno in the back of his head. "Are you ok now? No pain?"

"Not anymore. I'm fine now."

"That's good to know." Akon wrote something down then closed the notebook and tucked it back into his jacket. "As long as you're ok…"

Ichigo looked Veneno up and down. He really didn't remember him. But that headache was strange. Ichigo didn't like it. It looked excruciating. That was unlike any headache he had ever seen before. His hand brushed against something on the table and he remembered the whole reason he came here in the first place. "Oh." He handed Akon the piece of candy. "This is for you. From Ukitake."

"I said I didn't want it."

"I'm just the delivery guy. Take it so I can leave."

Rolling his eyes, Akon took the piece of candy. He glanced over at Veneno who was eyeing it curiously. "You want it?" he asked, holding up the wrapped piece of candy.

"I don't know what it is."

"It's candy. You eat it." He handed it to Veneno. He sniffed it and opened his mouth to take a bite. "Uh, you have to unwrap it first."

"Oh. You don't eat this part?"

"No. That's just the wrapper."

Veneno held the candy in his hand and started to poke at the wrapper.

"It's easier if you open it like this." Ichigo held up his hands, holding an invisible piece of candy between his fingers. "See. Hold it like this. Hold those parts in your fingers. And then give it a pull, like this." Ichigo pulled his hands in opposite directions.

Veneno mimicked his actions and unwrapped the candy with ease. He reached inside and took out the brown ball in his hand. "Now I can eat it?"

"Yup. Go for it."

He looked down at the piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth. He started chewing. This flavor was new to him. His eyes lit up with glee. "This tastes so good. What's it called?"

"Chocolate."

He swallowed the candy with a smile. "Do you have anymore?"

"Not right now."

"Oh." Veneno looked disappointed.

Ichigo remembered where he was going and knew that Linnette always stocked up on sweets. "But I can bring you some later. If you don't mind waiting a while."

Veneno looked pleased and nodded. "Sure. Bring more, please. I really like it."

"Sure thing."

More Soul Reapers entered the room. "Is Ichigo in here? Rukia is looking for you. Something about an assignment."

"Oh, yeah!" This had taken longer than he had thought. "I've got to go. See you guys later."

"And remember…" Akon drew a line across his throat. Ichigo got the message and left giving him a nod. He was to tell no one.

* * *

"So is everyone clear on this mission?" Hitsugaya asked the group of Soul Reapers waiting by the gate.

Ikkaku balanced his sword on his shoulder, looking the other way. "Want to give me the gist of it again?"

Groaning, Hitsugaya went over their mission once more. "You are going to enter the World of the Living and keep an eye out for strange Hollow activity. Understand? So stay together and keep an eye out."

"But so far?" Yumichika said, brushing his hair aside with a flick of his wrist. "We've never really had to travel this far before. I mean, most of us have never been to New York. I know I've never been."

"Actually you-" Ikkaku threw his hand over Rangiku's mouth before she could say anymore. It was a long time ago, but Yumichika had indeed been to New York before when he was possessed by a Hollow. After the Hollow abandoned his body, Yumichika was left with no memory of his time doing the Hollow's will. They all decided that it was best not to tell him. Rangiku remembered that that information was supposed to be kept a secret and fell silent. Then she gave Yumichika a big smile, clapping her hands together. "I'm kind of looking forward to it! New York city is supposed to have great shopping centers and a wide variety of stores."

Yumichika's head turned. "Really?" The promise of new clothes and styles was too much to pass up. Within a matter of seconds, Yumichika's smile was about a wide as hers. "Well, alright, then. Now that you say that, it could be nice to go on a little trip and do some shopping."

"This isn't a vacation," growled Hitsugaya. "You are going on a mission, not a shopping spree."

"Aw, Captain…" pouted Rangiku. "Can't we do both?"

"Just do as you're told for once and stay out of trouble!"

The Senkaimon opened up behind them. Everyone turned.

"We've arranged everything. You're going to be dropped off in the city. Stick together and don't do anything stupid."

"Why are you looking at me, Captain?"

"I wonder…"

Rukia bowed to Hitsugaya and took the lead. "Don't worry, Captain Hitsugaya. We'll all be very careful. Won't we?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Ikkaku started through the gate. "Let's get this over with."

Yumichika followed after him with Rangiku not far behind. Ichigo was the last one to enter. There was a lot weighing heavily on his mind. He still couldn't believe that Veneno was back. He was more worried than he was surprised, he soon realized. He didn't want a repeat of what happened last time.

The gate closed behind them and Hitsugaya stepped back with a sigh. "I can't believe they actually bought that…" he said to himself. That mission was a bluff. He and the other Captains were ordered to tell that lie in order to get Ichigo out of Karakura Town. Those Soul Reapers were sent with him for protection.

Something strange was happening and no one was sure what it was. Whatever was happening, it had something to do with Ichigo. Hopefully removing him from Karakura Town would keep people from getting hurt.

* * *

Anyone think it's a good idea to let this group wander the streets of the big city? Yeah, I thought so...

Please review! ^-^


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

The Senkaimon opened in an alley behind a tall skyscraper, out of sight. It would be strange for five people to just materialize out of nowhere. Everyone was in their proper Gigai and ready to blend in with the human crowd. As the Senkaimon closed, everyone piled out into the busy street.

Ichigo squinted in the bright sunlight, stepping out of the dark alley and into the bright warmth bouncing off the tinted windows. The tall buildings surrounded them like trees in a thick forest, though they provided very little shade from the hot sun.

The city was as busy as the last time Ichigo traveled here. People passed them by without so much as a glance and different smelled blended together in the smoky air. Cars were zooming by and horns were honking and people were talking loudly in different languages and no matter where he looked, Ichigo found at least four people selling things on the sidewalk from foldable tables and plastic chairs.

"Keep in mind, you guys, that since you're all in bodies and people can see and hear us, not everyone… Hey!" Ichigo turned around finding Yumichika and Rangiku going in one direction while Ikkaku went in another. "Hey! Get back here!"

Rukia pushed through the crowd like a pro and fought to catch up with them. Once she made it to the corner, they were completely gone from sight. "I don't know where they all went!"

"Damn it, what the hell are they thinking?"

"Should we split up?"

"No, we'll all get lost…" Ichigo looked around. This seemed to be a popular tourist area. There were shops and restaurants everywhere. There was even a stand that provided maps of the city. After sifting through subway maps and bus schedules, Ichigo found a map of the area and took it over to Rukia. "I see… All the streets are numbered… That should make things easier."

"Can you even read English?"

"Sort of." Ichigo struggled to make sense of the map's locations. He was decent in his English classes but he had never mastered speaking the language yet. It was one thing to copy it from the board and another to understand it. "Uh… Let's just start looking over this way."

For the next twenty minutes, Ichigo and Rukia ran up and down streets trying to find the rest of their group with no luck. They were supposed to stay together and find their way to Linnette's house, where they would be staying for this mission.

"Leave it to those two to get overexcited and run off…" Ichigo muttered under his breath, running to another block. Rukia was looking inside shop windows trying to see if they were inside. No such luck. Ichigo looked up at the street signs, seeing the numbers change every time he passed one. It was going to be impossible to find them in a city like this. At least, that's what he thought. When he looked up again, he saw something across the street. "Rukia!"

She turned around and came back to him. "What is it?"

He pointed to the building across the street. It was a three-story clothing store. Large windows displayed differently dressed manikins and large signs which read 'sale' and 'today only'. Standing in the third story window was none other than Yumichika, eyeing a plastic model up and down.

"For God's sake!"

The two of them ran across the street and into the building. At first they weren't sure how to get to the next floor, but Rukia managed to find a staircase in the back of the building and ran up to the next floor and then to the next. Once on the top floor, they stopped, seeing Yumichika run passed them carrying an armful of clothes to the changing booths.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Ichigo barked, grabbing his arm.

"What?" he asked as if they were the ones being rude. "They have surprisingly good taste here. I am loving this scarf. I'm going to try it on right now."

"Oh, no, you're not. Have you forgotten that we have a mission to do? You're coming with us right now!"

"I don't think so. Rangiku's in the booth right now, so you're going to have to wait anyway. Might as well let me try this on while I'm here." Yumichika pulled away and went straight over to the fitting room.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

Unable to go into the changing booth, they were forced to wait for Rangiku to come out and then wait for Yumichika to do the same. After several long minutes, Rangiku came out of a booth sporting a pair of skinny jeans, a white blouse and a cutaway jean jacket. Now she was eyeing a display case filled with sunglasses and jewelry. "Ohh, this one looks adorable." She pointed to a pair of sunglasses encrusted with sparkling faux jewels. The clerk opened the case and handed her the glasses. She put them on and looked at her reflection in the small round mirror on the table. "I'll take 'em!"

Rukia and Ichigo went up behind her and gave her the same lecture they gave Yumichika.

"What's the big deal? They're having a sale today and this stuff is really cheap compared to most places. I mean look at this outfit! So much cuter than the one I had on, right? I'll fit right in around here."

Yumichika came bursting out of this changing booth, tapping Rangiku on the shoulder. "What do you think? Isn't this style amazing?" The 5th Seat showed off is new outfit as if he were a runway model. It was a pair of tight black jeans and a dark blue top with a purple peacock shining over the left side of his chest. He had a dark leather jacket on over it with long sleeves. "Look, look! They even have these cute holes for your thumbs to fit through. Isn't that something?"

"Are you done shopping yet?" Ichigo asked impatiently.

"Are you kidding? We've only just started!"

"We have things to do! You can shop later!" Rukia glanced around the store. "Where is Ikkaku, by the way?"

"I don't know," said Yumichika. "He went off in another direction. He hates shopping."

Ichigo groaned and started toward the stairs. "I'll go find him. Rukia, can you keep them all here until I get back so we don't lose each other again?"

"I can try." She looked over at Rangiku who was carrying yet more to her booth. "How do you intend to pay for all this?"

"I have money. Remember? Everything was taken care of. We had our currency switched to American money so we can pay for anything."

"Yes, yes, I know that. I meant how do you intend to pay for it when you don't know the language?"

"Easy. We'll just give them the money that flashes on that screen over there. Very simple. No talking needed."

Meanwhile, outside, Ichigo was running up and down the streets again, trying to find Ikkaku. He kept looking for a shiny head in the crowd of people pushing him aside. Finally he found that head on a bench near a small park. Ichigo ran up to him and spotted the wooden sword in his lap. "I'm sure there are laws around here that say you can't have that out."

Ikkaku shrugged. "Eh. Don't give a damn."

"Come on. No more running off. At least until we get to where we need to go."

Very slowly, Ikkaku stood up and followed Ichigo back to the store where Yumichika and Rangiku were coming out with their purchases, Rukia trying to pull them back into the store. Once she saw Ichigo, she let them go.

They had a quick meeting by the front door. Since Ichigo wasn't sure how to get to Linnette's house from where they were or how long it would take, they decided that it would be best to take a cab up to where she lived. Ichigo knew her address thanks to all the letters he sent to her home. Now the issue was finding a cab that would take all five of them.

They tried hailing a cab a number of different times. Rangiku thought that if she flashed a little leg she could get one. That plan failed. Ikkaku tried whistling. That didn't work either. Finally a small van pulled up to the side of the street and opened it's doors, asking if they needed a ride. They all piled inside, packing their shopping bags into the back and Ichigo gave the diver the address. The car pulled away from the curb and into traffic at a brisk pace. Ichigo gripped his seat as the driver made his first turn a little too quick for his liking. The car drove up a tall hill and behind buildings.

The buildings started to thin out as they got further away from the shopping areas. Now there were a lot of apartments and small shops. Soon they saw grass and the buildings were more spaced out. Ichigo knew this area. Her house should be coming up on the right side of the street any time now. Sure enough, the driver stopped in front of a neatly kept two story house with pillars around the door. Neatly trimmed hedges framed the front of the house and there was a stone birdbath in the front yard surrounded by flowers, exactly the way Ichigo remembered it. Linnette lived in this elegant-looking building along with Victor and Cedric.

The doors opened and everyone started to get out. Rangiku handed her bags to Ikkaku and Rukia on their way out the doors. Ichigo reached in through the window and paid the driver. Once everyone was out of the van, the driver sped off down the road. Everyone stood in front of the building in awe.

"So this is her house?" Ikkaku asked.

"Yup. That's it."

"Huh. Guess there will be room for us after all." He led the way, walking across the grass instead of taking the stone pathway connecting to the long driveway.

Everyone hurried after him. They stood by the front door and waited for Ichigo to ring the doorbell for them. They figured that it was only right seeing how he knew this odd family best. He reached forward and rang the doorbell. Within a couple of seconds, the door opened.

There stood Cedric, towering over the group as he normally did, dressed in his usual casual clothing. He looked from each one of them without a word. When he got to Ichigo, he gave a small grin and stepped aside. "Welcome back. Come in."

"Thanks."

Ichigo stepped into the wide open, high ceiling living room. The skylights above his head looked like they had recently been cleaned and polished, no doubt by Victor and Cedric. For anyone else, cleaning those would be a hassle, but not for the men could do an entire day's work in a matter of minutes if their time was managed properly. The beautifully polished wooden floors reflected his image the same way it did that day. The house was always so clean and well-kept. In the center of the room was a couch facing the door and two armchairs on either side, all pointed to a coffee table in the center. This room opened up into the well-kept granite kitchen.

And in that kitchen stood the tall handsome man Ichigo knew as Victor. Even while doing the housework, he was never without his white suit. He smiled at them as everyone moved inside. "Hello."

Taken by his looks and warm greeting, Rangiku dumped her bags by the armchair and bolted over to him. She stood around the island, leaning over so that her large breasts touched the countertop and immediately started flirting with him. "Well, hello. You're Victor, right?"

"Yes. That's right."

"Remember me? I'm Rangiku. Captain Hitsugaya's single and available lieutenant."

He nodded politely to her. "That's nice to hear." He took a dishrag and started to clean off the area where her breasts had smudged the countertop. "I figured you all would be hungry when you arrived so I'm making some snacks right now. They'll be done in a minute."

"Ohh! What are we having?" asked Rangiku, making herself at home at once.

"Some fruit tarts."

"Mm! Sounds wonderful!"

"She's such a tease," muttered Ikkaku. He looked over at Cedric who was cleaning up Rangiku's shopping bags from the floor. "Hey, you. So where are we supposed to crash?"

Ichigo elbowed him in the ribs. Cedric was the less trusting of the two men and didn't take kindly to rude people. He was the one Ichigo was more concerned about when it came to making a good impression. Cedric wouldn't hesitate to put him through the wall if he should do anything he deemed uncouth.

Cedric nodded toward the room to the right of the kitchen. "The den."

Ichigo had to stay in that room before the last time he was over. He led them into the room, showing them around. The den looked about the same as it did the last it he was here. The grey colored couch wrapping around two walls was still there in front of a flat screen TV. There was a lone armchair parked in front of the window, a lamp pointed to it and a bookcase sitting behind it, filled with books, knickknacks and pictures. Ichigo looked over at the photographs in different sized frames. There were some new ones but every single one of them featured Linnette in it. The only difference were the people accompanying her in the photos. Some were of Victor and Cedric and others were her by herself , then there were ones of her standing with other girls her age which Ichigo knew to be her local friends.

"Works for me," Ikkaku said stepping inside and knocking a picture off a shelf as he made his way over to the couch. Ichigo caught the photo and shot Ikkaku a look he didn't notice. Ikkaku sat down and put his feet up on the couch cushions, resting his sword across his chest.

Ichigo returned the photo to the shelf, looking at the picture of Linnette. She was at the beach, making a poor sand sculpture with two other girls. It looked like she was trying to make a building, but the sand wasn't staying together. She had written something in the sand with a stick using Japanese characters which spelled out 'Soul Society'. Ichigo placed the photograph beside two others. To the left was a photo of the family sitting together, their arms wrapped around each other lovingly, Linnette in a red dress and both men in suits on either side. Victor was wearing his usual white suit while Cedric was wearing a dark suit, making the two of them look like both halves of a yin yang. In the photo to the right was Linnette at a fair, holding up a large zebra plush smiling wide with Cedric's arm around her shoulders. In every photo, no matter what she was doing, she looked so happy. None of those smiles were faked for the camera. She was truly happy.

That's when Ichigo noticed that he hadn't been tackled yet by the girl in the photos. "Say, where is Linnette anyway? You all knew we were coming, right?"

Victor answered from the kitchen, pulling something out of the over. "Yes. She's upstairs taking a shower. She should be finishing up."

Yumichika wandered into the den with his own shopping bags, looking the room over. "Hm… I wouldn't have chosen this interior but I suppose it'll do fine. That couch looks nice, but did it have to be grey? It's such an ugly color."

"Says the guy who had worn grey pants before," said Ikkaku.

"That's different. It wasn't grey. It was dark brown and only the belt was grey. It's not the same."

Ichigo went into the kitchen. The girls were gathered around a tray Victor had set small fruit tarts on, looking at them hungrily. "Have some," offered Victor.

Rangiku picked up a tart and took a bite. "Oh! They're good! Rukia, have one."

She took one off the tray and took a bite herself. "Wow, this is good. It's not too sweet, either."

"That's because I don't add any sugar. We try to give Linnette healthy things to eat. Any sweetness in those tarts are from the fruit."

Now Ikkaku and Yumichika had wandered back into the kitchen and were looking around at what everyone was eating. Ikkaku frowned at the tarts while Yumichika gave them a curious look.

"They're good," said Rangiku. "And now I don't feel bad about eating them now that I know they're not bad for you."

"A lovely woman such as yourself shouldn't have to diet to maintain such a naturally perfect figure," commented Victor.

Rangiku's face flushed a bright pink and she stared at Victor as if he had just popped the question to her then and there.

Victor, however, wasn't flirting. He was just being kind and friendly using his natural princely charm.

"You're blushing," teased Yumichika. Rangiku grabbed a tart and crammed it into his mouth. Yumichika choked on it at first but managed to clear his airway and chewed the rest of the snack. "It's not bad once you get past the hand sanitizer."

"Shut up." Rangiku picked up another tart having finished her first.

Ichigo was tempted to grab one like everyone else when he heard a voice call from upstairs.

"Victor! Are the tarts ready yet?"

"Yes, sweetie!" he called back. "Where are you at the moment? Top of the stairs or the loft?"

She paused. "Top of the stairs! Why?"

He smiled. "We have company!" Victor looked in Ichigo's direction, giving him a secret message to go near the stairs and call for her.

He walked toward the stairs and called up to her, letting her know he was there. "Hi, Linnette!"

There was a moment's hesitation and then running footsteps. Linnette appeared at the base of the stairs and jumped at him, hollering happily. "Ichigo!"

When he caught her in his chest, he spun his body around, taking her for a ride and set her back down, letting her hug him. Ichigo gave her a hug back, touching her long wet hair. She was dressed in a fuzzy red and pink robe, parts of her still sopping wet.

"Linnette, honey," said Victor. "Why don't you get upstairs and properly dressed? He'll be here."

She quickly ran back up the stairs to change.

Smiling, Victor returned to his work at the counter. "So… since our guests have arrived, what would everyone like to have for dinner?"

"We get to decide?" asked Rukia.

"Of course. You are going to be staying here for a few days and you are the guests. It's only fair that you get to choose what you would like to eat. I can make anything you want."

"Anything?" Rangiku asked slowly.

"I may have to run to the store to pick up ingredients but other than that, yes." Victor waited for their answer, mopping up the crumbs left behind by Rangiku and Yumichika. "Any thoughts?"

Rangiku seemed to be taking her sweet time, thinking. If this man could really make anything, she wasn't about to pass up the perfect opportunity to have a handsome man cook her any delicious dish she wanted. She wanted the most extravagant meal possible. Something she could never get either because it was so expensive or such a rarity.

"She's going to ask for lobster or something like that," muttered Ikkaku into Yumichika's ear.

"Ooh! Maybe some Blue fin tuna… Or maybe Matsutake Mushrooms. Or some salmon… Or maybe…"

"We could also order take-out if you can't decide."

"You have that here?" Rangiku looked very surprised. "I've heard of take-out before but I had no idea they had it here, too." She turned to the other Soul Reapers. "Isn't this city so much fun?"

"Fun isn't the word I would use…" said Ikkaku.

Ichigo looked around the room for ideas. He noticed a plastic case displaying a cake on top of the refrigerator. Getting an idea, he asked, "Got any chocolate cake?"

Everyone looked at him.

"That's hardly a substantial dinner, Ichigo," criticized Rukia.

Victor smiled and took the cake down from its resting place. "As a matter of fact we do. Linnette's already been into it, however. There's always sweets in this house. We also have cookies and ice cream for later if you like." Victor opened a drawer and pulled out a knife. He started to cut a generous piece for Ichigo. "But aside from sweets, is there anything you would like to eat for dinner?"

No one could decide. While everyone was debating what to have, Ichigo asked for Victor to wrap up the piece of cake so he could have it later. Victor wrapped the cake in a piece of tin foil and set it aside for when Ichigo wanted it. Ichigo didn't intend to eat that piece of cake. He wanted to take it to Veneno. He had promised to bring him some more chocolate and wasn't about to go back on his word. He wanted to see Veneno again and check up on him. There were still things he wanted to know. Things he had to find out.

Linnette came running back down the stairs wearing a red jumper and matching socks and bounced over to Ichigo, calling his name happily. Playing along with her high energy, Ichigo took her outstretched hands in his and started to spin with her around the kitchen. Everyone stopped to watch them. Ichigo normally wasn't this energetic nor was he ever so playful. It was certainly a sight to behold. Ichigo knew what Linnette liked to do and also knew that she was ecstatic to see him again, so he decided to play with her a little.

They stopped spinning. That was when Linnette spotted the others. "Rukia!" She ran over to the dark haired girl and grabbed her. "It's good to see you again! Who else is with you? Did Hanataro come? What about Rin? Or Kira?" She started listing Soul Reapers she had become good friends with during her visit to the Soul Society. Unfortunately none of them managed to come. She was a little disappointed, but was happy that she got to see Ichigo and Rukia again. There were also three other Soul Reapers with them who she might be able to become friends with.

Ikkaku looked over his shoulder at Victor. "So… you got food or what?"

"Have you decided on something?"

"I was just asking. I'm fine with anything."

Linnette turned to Victor. "They still deliver on Friday nights, right? We can order something so you don't have to go out."

"We could…" He turned around and pilled something off a shelf near the phone. "We have plenty to choose from if people will decide." As he made his way over to the group carrying a selection of take-out menus, he suddenly stopped and looked up. "It's Friday, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He quickly set the menus down on the table and turned into the dining room. He was looking at a calendar mounted on the wall on the other side of the phone. He ran his index figure over the Friday boxes of this month and froze. "Oh, dear."

"What's the matter?"

He looked back into the kitchen. "We had another commitment this evening. We were only informed of your arrival the other day. It was such short notice that we neglected something we had planned two weeks ago."

"What is it?" Linnette asked coming closer. "An appointment?"

Victor looked down at the girl with a weary grin. "You had arranged a slumber party this evening with some of your human friends."

"That's tonight?!" she gasped. She had forgotten all about it. The excitement of having Soul Reapers in her home was too much and she had devoted all her energy to preparing for their arrival. "Oh, no. That means they'll be coming here, too."

"And since we're all in gigais that means that they'll all be able to see and hear us," said Rukia. "Just how many people are coming?"

"Only four or five at the most," answered Victor. "It'll just be for one night. They'll all go home in the morning."

"And when are they coming exactly?"

The doorbell rang.

"Now."

Ichigo looked around in a panic. "What do we do? Just hide in another room or something? Or spend the night somewhere else?"

"Nonsense," said Victor. "They all sleep upstairs in her room. You can sleep down here. We have plenty of room."

Ikkaku turned to Ichigo. "Jeez, what's got you so worked up?"

Ichigo started backing away as Victor went to answer the front door. "Have you ever seen how girls act at a sleepover?" He had two sisters so he understood how things got from time to time at parties. Karin's friends were more rowdy than Yuzu's, but no matter whose friends were over, he never got any sleep that night or a single thing to eat. Girls ate more than he thought.

As soon as the door opened, four young girls around Linnette's age came barreling through and into the room, shoving Victor to one side. One girl tossed her bag on the coffee table without looking to see where it landed while another ran and tackled Linnette to the hardwood floor, screaming her name loudly. The other two came in more slowly, but weren't any less loud. One held on to her things while the other handed her belongings to Victor and ran to tackle Linnette herself. "Lin-Lin!" she cried and jumped on top of her.

Cedric stood by anxiously, worried that one of those girls was about to injure Linnette with their horseplay. Victor took the girl's bag toward the stairs. He called out to the girls in English and they all answered him by grabbing their things and tossing them in his direction.

That's right. These girls were from this country and spoke the language. They probably didn't speak Japanese like they did. They wouldn't be able to understand each other.

Cedric bent down and hoisted the girl off of Linnette one handed resulting in all the girls crowding around him, begging for him to do the same to them. They marveled at his strength, all wanting to see what he could do with it. Simply lifting them up wasn't enough. Some girls wanted to ride him like a circus animal while others began climbing all over his body as if he were a jungle gym. The tall man tolerated this and stood there while they had their way with him, giggling and pulling on his body.

One of the girls had wandered over to where the Soul Reapers were standing and started talking to them in a language they couldn't understand. That only made her speak louder.

"Suddenly, staying in a hotel doesn't sound too bad," muttered Ikkaku as he watched the girls run around the room, screaming and laughing. Girls at play; what was to be expected?

Linnette came rushing over when she saw the girl talking with Ichigo and the others. She started talking to her in English and pointed to each one and saying their names. She pointed to the orange haired teen and said "Ichigo" in between some English words he didn't understand. The girl giggled and said something to Linnette who started laughing and playfully slapped her shoulder.

Ichigo looked at the Soul Reapers and then at Linnette. "What did she say?"

"She thinks you're cute!" she chirped. The girl started pulling on Linnette's sleeve and pointed at Ichigo, saying something else. Linnette answered her and the girl looking Ichigo up and down again. Then she said something else which made Linnette giggle.

"What did she say now?"

Linnette giggled again. "She wants to feel your arm."

"Why?" Linnette waved Ichigo down and told him to hold out his arm. The girl moved forward shyly and felt Ichigo's upper arm with both hands. She jumped back into Linnette squealing and laughing in delight. Ichigo straightened up looking confused. He looked over at Rukia who was also laughing. "What?"

"Isn't it obvious? She thinks you're buff!" she laughed.

Frowning, Ichigo looked around at the others. Rangiku was laughing along with Rukia and Yumichika just stood there shaking his head. Ichigo looked from side to side. Ikkaku was missing. He pushed his way passed them and into the kitchen. Ikkaku had managed to slink away into the next room, looking for an exit. He reached for the sliding glass doors just as Ichigo showed up.

"What? I can't stand hyper little girls. Have you seen my Lieutenant?" With that Ikkaku opened the back door and ran outside.

When Ichigo returned to the kitchen, he saw Yumichika being pulled into the crowd by one of the larger girls. When he fought back, the others started to pull him in as well, helping their friends. They were all laughing and speaking their own language so no one had any idea what they were saying. But Yumichika didn't like the sound of it. Luckily, Linnette was there to translate. Whatever she told him caused him to start thrashing around and screaming at the top of his lungs. Laughing, Rangiku joined the girls, pulling Yumichika towards a chair.

Ichigo moved along the wall and over to the wad of tin foil on the counter. Picking it up, he made a break for the dining room and out the back door.

The warm air had cooled off somewhat but it was still warm outside. The sun was starting to set which was strange for Ichigo, being in a different time zone. He would have been making lunch right about now if he had his time correct. He knew when he had called home in the morning from Linnette's house, his sisters were getting ready for bed, having just finished their dinner. This was going to screw up his time clock so bad. Good thing it was the weekend. So much for it being his weekend of nothing.

Ichigo stepped onto the wooden porch and looked around. He saw Ikkaku laying in the grass near the bottom step, looking at the setting sun, leaving orange and purple streaks behind the tops of the trees which fenced in the backyard. Ichigo walked down the stairs, carrying the piece of cake with him and sat on the bottom step by Ikkaku's head. "I need a favor."

"What is it?" he asked without looking at him.

"I need you to open the Senkaimon for me. I have to take something there real quick."

Ikkaku rolled onto one shoulder. "We only just left. You sick of being here already?" Screaming from inside the house caused Ikkaku to flinch. "Then again, I don't blame you."

"Please? I made a promise to someone. It will be real quick. I'll be there and back before you know it."

Sighing heavily, Ikkaku took out something from his pocket and swallowed it. He stepped out of his body and took his Zanpakuto. He stabbed the air in front of him and turned his blade like a large key, opening the Senkaimon. "There you go. But you're getting back on your own, got it?"

"Yeah. Thanks?"

Ikkaku stepped back over to his body and entered it again. "Pain in the ass…" He laid back down and looked back at the sky as Ichigo left for the Soul Society.

* * *

What did you think of this chapter?

Please review! ^-^ Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

There was plenty of work to get done on a daily basis in the Soul Society. There was always something to do. Squad 12 was overworked enough as it was but the other Squads kept sending them assignments to do. It was either 'fix this' or 'improve that' or 'change this' or 'make this'. Normally Squad 12 could come up with enough things to try inventing without anyone having to tell them. But recently, different Squads had been finding issues with one thing or another so they went to Squad 12 for results. Yamamoto had also been assigning Mayuri to tend to certain things he felt needed some working on. He also wanted the Captain to do research on a few things which meant even more work had to be done.

Akon felt bad in that he wasn't allowed to do as much as he normally would with all the assignments piling up. Everyone was asking where he was and if he could help. But because he had to keep Veneno in his sights at all times in the lab, he wasn't able to do that. He was limited to doing only certain things, deemed easy enough for someone like Veneno to accomplish. Akon wasn't allowed to tend to his normal jobs and help others unless Veneno could do the same. He wanted to help his people and felt terrible that he couldn't.

But Veneno had been improving a lot recently. He was capable of doing a lot more than he could at the beginning of the week. It was the middle of the morning and already, Veneno was finished doing the tasks assigned to him. Akon had noticed an improvement in not only his speech and body mobility, but also his speed and ability to control it. His speed wasn't a flash-step but it was very similar. He had put it to good use by using it to complete his chores more quickly. Veneno also demonstrated superior strength to that of a normal human being; even that of most Soul Reapers in the department. As a matter of fact, Akon believed that his strength was close to that of someone from Squad 11, despite how svelte he was. He was pretty well toned.

Now that the chores were done, Veneno sat at a wooden table with a book in front of him, reading. At the moment, he was looking at the pictures, finding them much more interesting. It showed different kinds of plants and animals from all over the world. He turned the page and stared at the black and white photo of a desert.

Akon was about to give him another task when the door to the lab opened. Ichigo stepped inside carrying something in his hands. "What are you doing here?" Akon was surprised to see him back so soon.

Ichigo moved further into the room. "The others above helped me find you. They said you're down here most of the time nowadays." He held up the ball of tin foil. "I brought Veneno some chocolate. He said he liked it."

Veneno looked up, hearing his name and chocolate in the same sentence. He closed the book, giving them his undivided attention. "What is it?"

Ichigo walked it over to the table and set it down on top of the closed book, unwrapping the foil. "I brought you some more chocolate. Told you I would."

Veneno looked down at the triangular shaped piece of chocolate in front of him. It looked different. Like a dark sponge that kept flaking off. He looked up at Ichigo. "This is chocolate?"

"Yeah. It's a different kind of chocolate but it is chocolate alright." Seeing that Veneno needed more clarification, he added, "It's cake."

"What's cake?" He looked across the table at Akon who had just sat down.

"Don't look at me," he said. "We don't get cake around here. Ichigo brought it special."

Veneno looked down at the large piece of cake, unsure. To him, it must have looked like it was going to taste like burnt dirt judging from the look he was giving it. Ichigo reached forward and broke off a small piece with his fingers. "It's good. See?" He popped the piece into his mouth and ate it.

After seeing Ichigo eat it with no ill effects, Veneno broke off a small piece in the same fashion Ichigo did and lifted it to his mouth. "It feels like really soft bread," he commented. He smelled it. It smelled like that chocolate he got before. Trusting Ichigo's word, he took a bite.

"How is it?"

Veneno answered by attacking the rest of it with both hands. He tried to cram as much of the cake as he could into his mouth, chewing loudly. "It's really, really good!" It had the consistency of very moist bread and tasted sweet. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted."

"Really?" At first Ichigo took it as a joke. Then he realized that Veneno was serious.

"Yeah. I've only ever eaten bread and rice. I've never had anything like this before."

"Oh? Just bread and rice?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah. That's what Akon gives me everyday."

Ichigo turned to Akon who mouthed the word 'what' when he saw the look on Ichigo's face. "So…" he said without looking at Veneno this time. "That's all he gives you?"

"Yeah." Veneno licked his fingers, not wanting to waste a single morsel. "When it's lunch time, he leaves for a while and comes back with food. After I finish eating, I do more chores."

Without taking his eyes off Akon, he asked Veneno, "Just once he feeds you?"

"No. Sometimes he gets me more before I go back in the closet."

Ichigo turned. "The what?"

Veneno pointed. "The closet over there. Come on, I'll show you." He took Ichigo's sleeve and pulled him over to a small room, pointing. "This is where I sleep at night."

The closet was very small. There was no room to stretch out at all. Veneno would have to either sleep curled into a ball or sitting upright. There was a white sheet on the floor which Ichigo guessed was used for his bed and blanket. Other than that, the closet was empty. Even the shelves above his head were bare.

Ichigo told Veneno to stay there for a moment while he went over to speak with Akon. He roughly grabbed his arm and dragged Akon over to the back wall, far away from Veneno. "What the hell is this?"

"Mayuri told me to hide him somewhere."

"A closet?"

"Technically, he picked it. Not me. But I lock him in there at night."

"You lock him in?!"

"Oh, don't use that tone with me." Akon pulled his arm free. "In the beginning, he didn't know up from down. The guy could barely walk. If he got out, we didn't want him getting into stuff. That's all."

"And you feed him bread and rice?"

"It's what I can sneak back with me. Ok? Get off my back."

Ichigo hung his head. The first time he met Veneno, he was convinced that Soul Reapers were his enemy. He believed that they were cruel people who could never show compassion toward Hollows or Arrancars. The way he was being treated right now would only lead to future bitterness. Though he may not remember anything about his past now, it was possible that history would be repeated and he would end up thinking that Soul Reapers were bad. That was what Ichigo was afraid of.

"So correct me if I'm wrong here, Akon… but so far… you feed him once a day and it's prison food, he lives in a closet and he wears clothes that don't even fit him. Am I right on this so far?"

Akon's silence was enough.

"Listen to me. You have got to do better for him. You can't treat him like a prisoner or like a dog. Treat him like a person."

"Mayuri's the one who didn't feed him. I do that. And technically, no one was supposed to know about him. He was supposed to stay locked in the lab where no one would find him."

"I don't care. He's walking around the lab now, isn't he? You have him working and hanging around Soul Reapers. So why not treat him like he's part of the Squad?"

Akon narrowed his eyes. "Now how do you figure we do that?"

"You can start by getting him a real bed and decent food. And clothes his size. Maybe get him out of the lab and into the barracks or something."

"Ah-uh!" Akon waved his arms in refusal. "Out of the question. No way am I doing that."

"Why not? You have spare rooms, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"But what? Get him his own room!"

"What part of 'he's supposed to remain a secret' don't you understand? I can't take him out of the lab! Mayuri will kill me for starters in addition to us all being in major trouble. This is illegal but he roped me into it, so now I'm stuck."

"But he's not in this room anymore, right? So Mayuri allowed it, didn't he?"

"But that wasn't leaving the building. That's different!"

Ichigo tried to keep his voice down so Veneno wouldn't hear them. "Listen to me, Akon. Before when I met Veneno for the first time, he believed that Soul Reapers were bad. Evil, even. He hated you so much. He was convinced that you could do nothing but hurt Hollow kind. That you guys could never be allies. Though he may not remember his past, you could end up recreating it in the future. If you continue to treat him cruelly or like an animal, then he might turn on you. He is advancing, isn't he? What makes you think he won't figure things out?"

Akon knew he made a good point. "Well…"

"As long as no one finds out about him being an Arrancar, everything's fine, right? And no one's noticed so far."

Akon started thinking about his options. "Well… his Spiritual Pressure is off… No one can tell the difference between him and someone else. Never could figure that one out. It's muddled somehow… And as long as that mask fragment on his forehead remains hidden no one will know…" Ruffling his hair, Akon sighed in agitation. "I'll see what I can do…"

* * *

With constant prodding from Ichigo to get Veneno out of the lab, Akon managed to arrange for a room for Veneno to stay in from now on. As long as his mask remained unseen, everyone would continue to think he was one of them. As far as everyone was concerned, Veneno was a Soul Reaper like everyone else. It was high time they kept up that belief by allowing him to live as one of them. A room in the barracks was a good start.

Once everything was arranged, Akon went back into the lab to retrieve Veneno and bring him to his new room. "Ok, Veneno, follow me."

The young man stood up and followed after Akon. This was different from his normal routine so he was a little confused. "Where are we going?" He wasn't aware of any other chores he had to do today.

"I want to show you something. We'll be leaving the lab today."

"Leaving the lab?" he repeated. This was very different. He was never allowed outside before and wasn't sure what to expect.

Akon led Veneno and Ichigo up the stairs to the ground floor. He took them down the long hall and over to the front doors. Veneno stood in front of them looking straight up. The doors almost reached the ceiling and were made out of steel. Big and heavy. Somehow Akon managed to open them by himself and stepped outside. Feeling Ichigo tug on his arm, Veneno followed.

Bright light burned Veneno's eyes the moment he stepped into the sun. Having never been exposed to natural sunlight, Veneno was momentarily blinded. He shut his eyes tight and covered his face with his arms. He slowly opened his eyes in the safe cocoon he made with his arms, looking at his feet. This ground was different from the floor in the lab. It felt like sandpaper under his sandals. Eyes adjusting to the bright light of the outdoors, Veneno slowly started to lift his head and peered between his raised arms.

It took his breath away. Everything was so bright. He saw trees for the first time in his life and heard birds chirping nearby, a sound unknown to him before. Everything was new. And warm. Veneno started to stand up straight, still shielding his eyes with one arm, he looked around. The top of his head and his skin felt warm in the light. The air smelled different. In the lab all he smelled were chemicals, iron, wood and the stuffy dampness he had grown used to. He had never been exposed to fresh air before. He could breathe easier. The scent on the air was very nice. It had a soothing quality to it and made him feel at peace.

"What is this?" he asked, looking at the tall buildings surrounding them and the white walls boxing them in. He had no idea there were other buildings besides the one he was in. The world he knew had just gotten bigger.

"This is the outdoors," explained Ichigo.

Veneno squinted, still not used to sunlight. "It's really bright."

"That's because it's a sunny day."

Veneno turned towards the light, shutting his left eye. "Sunny…" He turned back to Ichigo. "It feels different."

"What do you mean? Haven't you've ever seen the sun before?"

"No, never." He answered honestly. "This is my first time outside the lab. I've never been outside before."

Ichigo turned and shot Akon a glare who returned it with a muted 'what?'. It was sad that Veneno in all this time had never once been outside before now. He had never known the sunlight or its warmth. This was a new experience for him.

Ichigo reached out and took Veneno's hand, pulling him away from the lab. "Come on."

Veneno followed. As he moved further away from the building, he found himself looking back at the open doors. He was leaving his home. He was familiar with that lab. It was strange to leave it. But being surrounded by so many new things had him curious. A part of him wanted to return, but that part of him was soon drowned out by the part of him looking for adventure. He kept looking at the doors, wanting to make sure he didn't get too far away. But once they turned the corner, the doors were out of sight. That scared him. He wanted to know where he was. But no longer having the doors distracting him, Veneno was able to look at the world around him. He faced forward and allowed himself to be pulled away from the building he knew.

He stared in awe at other buildings varying in size and shape. Some had balconies and some had bridges linking two buildings together. Some only had one floor to them while others were stacked up like shelves. People wearing the same outfit kept passing them by, everyone doing something different. Some nodded at Akon saying 'hello' as they passed and others said nothing, keeping to themselves. Veneno kept getting distracted by the things around him. If Ichigo hadn't been holding onto his hand, they would have been separated several times.

Veneno heard a strange sound. Rustling. He saw the trees moving slightly, leaves being shaken from the branches. Then he felt something strange touch him. An invisible pressure. It blew through his clothes and pushed his hair aside. The wind. It was his first time feeling it. He had never known what the wind was before. Veneno stopped where he stood and faced the breeze.

Ichigo felt Veneno stop and turned around. Even when he pulled, Veneno did not move. He was facing the other way, looking straight ahead. "What is it?"

He didn't answer.

"Veneno?"

This time he turned, but only slightly. "It's the wind." He turned back, shutting his eyes. "I've never felt it before."

Ichigo turned his body towards the breeze, standing side by side with Veneno. He was enjoying the breeze, too, but not nearly as much as he was. This was entirely new to him. Veneno had never felt the breeze before. This must have been amazing to him, like a seeing a shooting star or witnessing angels dancing in the sky.

The breeze picked up, blowing Veneno's brown hair back, revealing his mask. The air carried the scent of grass and trees with it. The smell engulfed Veneno. He preferred this smell to lab chemicals. It was much nicer. The breeze died down and then stopped. Veneno opened his eyes, smiling. "It feels wonderful…" He enjoyed that.

Seeing the mask, Ichigo reached up and folded his hair back into place, hiding it. There was still a strand sticking up on top of his head but that was normal for Veneno. He always had one strand sticking up above the rest. "Come on. We're almost there."

Veneno followed without stopping this time. Akon took them into a building. He had managed to find one room at the end of the hall, close to the lab, that was vacant. He opened the door to the room and stood back. "It's this one." Ichigo pulled Veneno closer to the open door. He didn't let go of Ichigo's hand.

"Go inside. Check it out."

Only then did Veneno let go of Ichigo's hand. He walked up to the room and looked inside. It took his breath away. He had never seen such a place before. The room may have been small, but it was large enough for him to stretch out on the ground and not hit anything. There was a closet to his left the moment he walked in. There was a small wooden desk against the back wall and a small dresser to his right. The room looked so clean. It smelled faintly of wicker and wood. On the floor was a bed. He had never seen a real bed before. Instead of a white tarp, there was a blanket with a bamboo design and a pillow resting below it. He pulled back the blanket and looked at the bed itself. He ran his hand over it, feeling the softness. It was like very soft cotton, giving under the pressure he placed with his hand. He stood up, looking at the ceiling and the walls.

"Do you like it?" Ichigo asked.

Veneno turned around. "This is a nice room. I like it."

"Good," said Akon. "Because this is where you're going to be staying from now on."

He turned around. "What?"

"Instead of sleeping in that closet you're used to, this is where you'll be sleeping at night. Ok?"

Veneno looked stunned. Though he liked the room very much, knowing that he was leaving his home made him feel uncomfortable. "Will I still be in the lab?" he asked.

"Sure. You just won't be sleeping in there. This is your room from now on." Akon pulled open a drawer on the dresser. "I also got you some new clothes. These ones should fit you better."

"Thanks." Veneno went over to the open drawer and looked inside. It was a Soul Reaper uniform like the one he was wearing only it looked to be about his size.

"We'll let you get changed. Once you're finished, let us know. We'll be right out here for you."

Veneno watched Ichigo and Akon step out into the hall. He looked down at the outfit in his hands. He had a room now. He wasn't going to be staying in a closet anymore. He wasn't sure if he felt happy or sad about it. He unfolded the clothes and started to get undressed.

Outside the room, Ichigo and Akon were whispering about Veneno.

"I think this is better for him."

"The guy looked scared," said Akon. "We're taking him out of a place he's used to. This is uncomfortable for him."

"I still say it's better for him. Now he's not breathing in those fumes and now he can at least breathe in the fresh air for once. How could you never let him outside? The guy had never seen the sun before."

"The lab had no windows. And keep in mind, he wasn't supposed to leave the lab. This all happened because you threw a fit."

"I didn't throw a fit," said Ichigo. "Just think, would you? I gave you my reasons. Do I have to repeat it?"

"No." Akon leaned against the wall, looking straight ahead. "I just hope the Captain's not going to have my ass for this… Looks like secrets are going to get out no matter what you do… Although, it would have lasted longer if we had kept him put."

"You said it yourself that he's maturing. If you didn't allow this, it would have happened anyway. He was bound to wander off sooner or later and discover this stuff."

"He did wander off before."

"See?"

"That's why I had him locked up in the first place."

The door opened. "I'm finished."

They turned around and looked at Veneno in his new outfit. This uniform fit him much better than the other one. "Looks good. How's it feel?"

"It's good," said Veneno. He started playing with his long sleeves. "It feels more comfortable. And I don't need a rope to hold up the pants. And I can move my arms better. There's more room."

"That's good."

Ichigo nodded to him. "See? Now he's not such a mess. Finally found him something that fit. Now he looks like a regular Soul Reaper."

Veneno clasped a hand to his temple, wincing. His head was hurting again. A dull throbbing pain.

"What's wrong?"

Veneno moaned, holding his head. "What… what did you say I looked like?"

"Like a Soul Reaper."

At those words, the pain got much worse. Yelping, Veneno fell to his knees, holding his head in both hands. The two rushed forward. "Are you ok? What's wrong?" He heard their voices above him but was in no condition to answer them. The pain was tremendous. And, as quickly as it started, it suddenly vanished. His head stopped pounding and that horrible ringing had ceased. He lifted his head looking from one man to the other.

"What was that?"

Ichigo put a hand on Veneno's shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"I think so…" Veneno started to get up, but Ichigo's hand prevented it. He kept him in a kneeling position. "I just got a really bad headache. That's all. It's gone now. I'm fine."

Ichigo turned to Akon. This was the second time he had witnessed Veneno suffering from an intense headache for seemingly no reason. Akon was writing this down in the notebook he kept on hand all the time. Knowing that Akon wasn't as concerned as he was, Ichigo turned back to Veneno and helped him up. "Are you getting these a lot?"

"No, not really. Every now and then, I guess. I'm fine now."

Akon finished writing and took Veneno's arm, pulling him out of the room. "Don't worry about it. But if you continue to get these, just let me know. Ok?"

"Ok." Veneno thought of something else. "What is a Soul Reaper, anyway?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess we've never used that term around you before." Akon pointed to himself and then at Ichigo. "I'm a Soul Reaper and so is he. Everyone wearing these black kimonos is a Soul Reaper."

Veneno looked down at the garment he was wearing. Since he was wearing one that must have made him a Soul Reaper, too. He nodded his head. "Ok. I get it now."

Ichigo was about to say something when he noticed a few Soul Reapers passing them by in a hurry. Akon took notice of this and nodded. "It should be around lunch time now. You hungry?"

Veneno nodded vigorously.

"Thought you might be. I'll take you to where I get the food. You can come and pick out what you want."

He looked so excited to hear that.

It was then that Ichigo realized the time. If it was lunch here, then what time was it back at Linnette's? It must have been late. He hadn't planned on staying this long. Now that Veneno had a new room, new clothes and food to eat, Ichigo had to get back. Veneno was taken care of for the moment. It was time to head back.

* * *

By the time Ichigo returned to New York, it was completely dark. The only lights were coming from the streetlights over the road on the other side of the house and the luminescent city beyond the trees. It must have been really late. Some lights were still on his the house. Ichigo climbed the wooden steps to the back porch and into the house. The sliding door was unlocked.

It had quieted down considerably since he had left. Laughter could be heard from upstairs, telling Ichigo that Linnette and her friends were still wide awake. There was no sign of Victor or Cedric anywhere. Rukia and Rangiku were missing as well. Stepping into the den, Ichigo found Ikkaku laying on the couch staring up at the ceiling. He turned his head, looking at Ichigo once he saw him enter the room.

"Did you get done what you needed to?"

"Uh… Yeah."

Ikkaku turned away, looking at the ceiling again. "This…" He pointed straight up. "Is going to continue all freaking night."

The girls upstairs were laughing loudly and yelling playfully. Their running footsteps could also be heard from the floor below. It didn't seem that they would settle down anytime soon.

"What time is it?" asked Ichigo. It was close to noon when he left the Soul Society.

"About 11:00, I guess," said Ikkaku. "Maybe 11:30."

Someone tapped Ichigo on the shoulder. He turned around and almost jumped out of his skin. Yumichika was standing behind him, but he didn't look like Yumichika. His face was hidden behind the heavy make-up. It looked like it had been applied in the dark. Yumichika's hair was pinned back by multiple decorative clips, his lips protruded outward due to the multiple shades of lipstick. His face was white with powder, his cheeks were rosy with blush and his eyelashes were reduced to dark clumps because of all the mascara and his eyelids were a very odd shade of blue and red, making them look bruised. To top everything off, someone had drawn flowers on his cheeks and forehead in make-up and he was shimmering with glitter which fell like snowflakes from his hair and shoulders as he moved.

"Uh…" Ichigo couldn't speak. He had a few questions, most of which he didn't want answers to and others he already knew just from looking at him.

"Not. A. Word." he snarled.

"Ok. Ok." Ichigo backed off.

Through the thick make-up, Yumichika's face showed a look of desperation and woe. "Do you have a mirror?" he asked in a tone similar to a child asking a strict parent for a cookie before dinner.

"I don't think you want one," Ichigo said before he could stop himself.

"I know what I look like!" Yumichika snapped. "I just want to take this stuff off!"

"Then why don't you go to the bathroom and use that mirror?"

"I would but they're in there. I can't get in!" Yumichika brushed the back of his hand across his face, smearing the make-up and leaving a colorful streak on his hand. "They dragged me over to a chair and did this to me! No matter how much I told them to stop, they kept it up. God, I wish we spoke the same language so they could understand me."

"Even if they did, I doubt it would have made much of a difference," said Ikkaku. "I think they knew what you were saying all along but did it anyway. You protesting was half the fun."

"I would have appreciated the help, Ikkaku! All you did was sit there and let them have their way with me!"

"What did you want me to do about it?"

"You could have helped! They held me down!"

"So what? They're little girls! You could have fought back."

"Rangiku was helping them!"

Ikkaku snorted. "Some 5th Seat from the 11th Division you turned out to be…"

"Says the guy who hid in the next room!"

"I was outside until the sun went down."

"That isn't any better!"

Victor tapped on the wall with his knuckle, getting their attention. "I'm sending the girls to Linnette's room for the evening. They should settle down soon."

"Yeah, we'll see about that…" Ikkaku muttered.

"In the meantime, you will be sleeping down here in the den. I can get you extra blankets if you like." Victor gestured upstairs with his chin. "The women will have our room."

"Your room?"

"Of course. Cedric and I do not sleep, therefore we have no need for the beds. It seems pointless for the girls to sleep on the floor when we have perfectly good beds we can put to use. So they'll have our beds. Which leaves the men down here in the den."

"Then where will you guys go?" asked Ichigo, knowing that the girls in Linnette's room had no knowledge of what Victor and Cedric were. To keep up appearances, they usually went into that room at night to pretend to be asleep until morning.

"It's fine. There are plenty of other rooms we can stay in. I'll be in the study most of the night if you should need anything."

"That's great because I desperately need a mirror."

Victor took one look at Yumichika's face and didn't react. He didn't even bat an eye. Instead, he smiled and put a hand on Yumichika's shoulder, leading him into the kitchen. "Come on. I'll help you get that off."

Yumichika sat in a stool Victor pulled out for him from under the counter. The suited man went over to the sink and started to run the water. He brought over a moist cloth and some paper towels. He stood in front of Yumichika, looking at the colorful mess on his face. Slipping two fingers under his chin, he tilted his head up towards the light and told him, "Close your eyes." He did as he was told, a bitter look on his face the whole while, and let Victor do whatever he wanted. Victor took the cloth in his hand and began to gently dab at Yumichika's face. Slowly the make-up started to come off.

Ichigo stood nearby, watching. Yumichika sat quietly, letting Victor clean him off. He shifted the cloth in his hand, using a clean corner to wipe his face with. Soon the cloth turned a strange pink and purple color. He wiped at his lips, trying to get off the lipstick.

"Sorry about that," he said after a minute. "The girls tend to get carried away whenever they're over. I'm sure seeing new faces also put them in a giddy mood." He mopped up Yumichika's forehead. "It's coming off nicely. The glitter will be a problem, however. That's more difficult to get off."

"Hm."

"You're welcome to use our shower if you like."

"M'k. Thanks." Yumichika's bitter face relaxed as Victor cleaned him off. It was like a gentle massage. Victor's hands were very skillful. He was enjoying this. Victor started to wipe off the make-up on his eyelids next.

"They didn't paint your nails, too, did they?"

"No."

"Alright. There's a plus." Victor started to unclip the pins in his hair next. "Keep your eyes shut. There's a lot of glitter here." He unclipped one pin after another. He unclipped a pin from the back of Yumichika's hair, causing him to shiver slightly. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

Victor took the last clip out of Yumichika's hair and placed it on the counter. He combed his fingers through his hair, making sure he didn't miss any. Then he ruffled his hair, brushing the glitter off his head and then brushed off his shoulders. "This is good for now."

Yumichika opened his eyes. "Thanks."

"I would think you'd be used to getting makeovers," called Ikkaku from the other room.

"I don't wear make-up!" Yumichika hollered back. "It's natural beauty. Something you don't seem to understand." He got off the stool and examined his reflection in the polished window above the sink. He was relieved to see all the make-up was cleaned off his face. "Much better…"

Victor dropped the now brown cloth in the sink and threw away the used paper towels. "Once the girls are finished with what they're doing in the bathroom, you may use the shower to get anything I missed."

"I may just take you up on that offer."

A door upstairs banged open and the sound of screaming girls flooded down from the second floor. Immediately, Yumichika hid in the next room, hating the idea of round two with even more make-up. Two girls came running downstairs with Linnette, laughing and talking excitedly at once. Linnette asked Victor something and the girls giggled, nodding shyly behind her. He nodded his head and opened the freezer door, taking out three ice cream cones. They took them and ran back towards the steps. Victor called out to them and they stopped, returning slowly to the kitchen where they sat down and ate the cones around the counter.

Victor, noticing the puzzled expression on Ichigo's face, answered, "They wanted some ice cream. But I don't allow it upstairs so I told them to eat it down here."

"Ah." He looked at the two girls he had only seen in pictures up until this point. "Do any of them speak Japanese?"

"Not very much if any. Linnette is the only one among them who can speak it fluently as you may have noticed."

Ichigo peered over at the girls playfully teasing one another and eating their ice cream. They were already in their night clothes. Linnette was wearing a pink nightdress with a floral design on the front. The girl beside her was wearing shorts and a T-shirt while the third was wearing long pants and a tank top. The girl in the tank top was carrying a dolphin plush in her lap which looked very worn out. The girl in the shorts had a horse design on her T-shirt and her red hair was pinned back in a ponytail. They continued their conversation, not in the least bit distracted by the teenager watching them.

"Do you need anything?"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked up at Victor.

"You'll be on the couch tonight. Do you need anything I haven't already put out for you?" He showed Ichigo to the den a few steps away and pointed at the pile on the couch. "I brought three blankets and a couple of pillows for you. Will that be enough?"

"Oh. Ah, sure. I guess so."

He nodded. Linnette pulled on his sleeve from behind. He turned around. "Yes, sweetie?"

She handed him the empty cone, peering slightly over her shoulder at her friends. She seemed a little nervous. Victor took the cone from her and hid it behind his back. He played with her hair and told her to take her friends to her room for the night. She agreed and went back to them. She gave them the message and they all went back upstairs.

Victor took the cone out from behind his back and walked over to the garbage can in the kitchen. "She loves ice cream, but she doesn't like the cones. Her friends do which is why we bought them in the first place," he explained.

"Oh."

Yumichika appeared again with a robe and brush in his hands. "So…" he said to Victor. "Shower?"

"Yes. This way…"

* * *

The evening wasn't as peaceful as they would have liked. Ikkaku kept complaining about the girls upstairs. They were quiet for the most part. Every now and then there would be a loud burst of giggles from the floor above and the occasional squeal from at least one of the girls. Other than that, all that could be heard were their whispered conversations through the floorboards.

The couch was big enough for two people to lay on without making contact with the other. Ichigo got one side while Yumichika got the other. Ikkaku volunteered to have the floor. In order to drown out the girls upstairs, he had thrown his pillow over his head and lay face-down on the floor. Yumichika, despite his earlier criticisms, found the couch to be very comfortable and was the first one of them to fall asleep. Granted, it did take him a few minutes. Ikkaku soon followed, snoring loudly in the middle of the floor.

Ichigo, on the other hand, couldn't sleep so easily. He had a few things on his mind.

He couldn't stop thinking about Veneno. It was a shock to find him alive again. Given what he had witnessed in his life, he got over it quickly. Now he was focusing more on the fact that Veneno had no memory. He was meeting him again for the first time. They could start anew. Ichigo was determined to make sure Veneno didn't turn into what he was the first time they met in the Soul Society. Veneno was convinced that Soul Reapers were his enemy and that the two simply could not get along. Ever. Soul Reapers were destined to kill Hollows and Hollow kind no matter what. If Veneno was kept in a closet for the rest of his life and given table scraps to eat, it was only a matter of time before he realized that this was simply cruelty and that Soul Reapers were horrible people. He would once again be convinced that they were bad. He would end up resenting them and may even go on a rampage like he did in the past.

This was a fresh start. A clean slate. They could start all over. He would be shown how kind Soul Reapers could be and how accepting they could be. The old Veneno would not listen to reason. Once his mind was made up, it was difficult if not impossible to change it. This would be easier. Now that he knew nothing, he would have a new first impression of them. Maybe he would become friends with them after all. His hatred was learned, not natural. As long as the Soul Reapers weren't cruel to him, he would have no reason to hurt any of them. Ichigo knew from experience how powerful Veneno could be. Even before he reached Arrancar level, he was difficult to handle.

So far, everything seemed to be going well. He was given an actual room to stay in and would be given good food to eat and real meals. So far he seemed pretty happy. Getting him out of that stuffy lab was a good start. The fact that his Spiritual Pressure was different helped hide the fact that he wasn't a real Soul Reaper. As long as his mask remained hidden, no one would suspect a thing.

In many small ways, Veneno reminded him of Linnette. Similar pasts, bullied and harassed frequently, so desperate for companionship that they created their own family. Wanted to do anything they wanted and having no one tell them otherwise. Ichigo managed to help Linnette make a better life for herself. They ended up becoming good friends and helped each other. Ichigo felt that he had failed Veneno by not doing the same for him.

Veneno had turned almost every single Soul Reaper into a Hollow Reaper and had done the same for many humans in Karakura Town. He had to be stopped. He was seen as the enemy. But Ichigo felt so torn during their confrontations. No matter what, Ichigo could not see Veneno as the clear bad guy. He couldn't help but feel that Veneno was just a scared, lonely person who needed help. Veneno had even helped Ichigo. He took care of him and offered him friendship. He even saved him from the Hollow Reapers in at least two separate occasions. Veneno just wanted a friend and Ichigo was the only one he felt he could relate to. Ichigo was part Hollow. He had Hollow powers so he felt that they were like brothers in a way. But Ichigo refused. Veneno had wanted Ichigo to stay by his side while he continued to hurt people, all the while saying how it was what Soul Reapers deserved. Ichigo couldn't go along with him. He simply couldn't. He begged Veneno to change everyone back to normal but refused. He started to kill any Soul Reaper who no longer amused him and threatened Linnette. He tried to kill Rukia and many others. And since Ichigo refused to join him, he vowed to take his life. The only way he managed to stop Veneno and change everyone back to normal was to kill him. Ichigo regretted doing that.

Shutting his eyes, he could see the pained look on Veneno's face as he died, lamenting everything he had missed out on. He wanted so much. Simple things. He wanted to let his guard down and not have to live in fear or worry that someone was going to hurt or kill him. He said how he wanted to have lazy days and take naps out in the open air under a tree or in a garden somewhere. He wanted to feel the wind on his face and enjoy taking his time. He wanted to know what it was like to be loved and have friends. No one had so much as held his hand before. He had never been hugged or told that he mattered. No words of comfort whatsoever. He never knew what it was like to have a friend. To have someone go back for him when he was in danger. Someone to stay by his side and help him. He wanted to know what it was like.

His last words to Ichigo were 'I want to live. Why aren't I allowed that?'. He wanted to have what so many people took for granted. Simple things. Things no one could live without.

Even when he surrounded himself with clones of himself and mindless Hollow Reapers who could do nothing but growl, he never felt so alone. He didn't want to be lonely. He had even told Ichigo once that there was no point in him having a name if there was no one to call him by it. Ichigo was the first voice other than his own to say his name. Ichigo was the only one to call him by name. And from that point, a bond was formed. He wanted to hear someone call his name, to let him know he was not alone. To know that someone cared. To hear a voice other than his own was a wonderful thing.

Ichigo was determined to make sure he had the life he always wanted but never got. He wanted to make sure Veneno was happy and got his chance to live. He was not going to fail him again. This time he would get it right.

He rolled over, facing the back of the couch and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. It was slow in coming, but darkness took him and all he felt was nothing.

* * *

As Cedric was coming up the stairs to check on the girls now that things had settled down, he came across something very odd. Linnette's door was shut and there was no sound coming from within. The girls must have gone to bed now that it was almost 4:00 in the morning. That wasn't the odd thing he noticed. What was odd was finding Ichigo curled up on the floor just outside her door. Cedric came closer frowning. Ichigo's back was pressed against the door, laying on his side. He looked like a loyal dog waiting outside his master's room. He appeared to be asleep.

Looking around, it appeared that no one else was aware of this. Nor able to witness it. It appeared that the door was never opened and that Ichigo simply collapsed outside the closed door. No harm seemed to be done so there was no sense in starting something this late.

Cedric came closer and bent down. He put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder lightly. He was still breathing and his body was warm. He appeared to be fine. Deciding that it was best to take Ichigo back downstairs, Cedric lowered himself, tucking his arms under Ichigo's shoulders and knees. Being as gentle as he could so as not to wake him, Cedric stood up, carrying Ichigo in his arms. As soon as Ichigo's head hit Cedric's shoulder, he started to shift. Cedric remained perfectly still. After a moment, Ichigo settled into this new position, never awaking up and went limp again. Cedric moved carefully toward the stairs, taking one step at a time. He carried Ichigo back to the couch and set him down, covering him with the blanket he found discarded on the floor while Ichigo continued to sleep.

Cedric straightened back up but did not leave. He watched Ichigo for another minute before turning and backing out of the room. It was strange to find Ichigo sleeping on the floor outside Linnette's room like that. He wasn't sure whether to ask him about it in the morning or not. Maybe that was a sleeping habit of Ichigo's he was not aware of. Since Cedric never slept, he had no way of knowing what was normal and what was not. He got all his information from watching others. Since Linnette was the only one in the house who slept and therefore the only one he could compare to, seeing Ichigo do something like this was strange to him.

He had all night to decide whether or not to question him about it. For now, he would let everyone rest and return to his hiding spot in the study for the night.

* * *

This was a longer chapter, but good, right?

Please review! ^-^


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Veneno's first night in a new place was very strange. He was happy to have a bigger, softer bed but it was strange being in a room so far from the lab where he was used to being. He felt secure there. It was the only place he knew. When the sun went down, Akon took him back to his room and told him that he would be back in the morning to fetch him.

The bed was soft and he could stretch out without hitting any part of his body on the wall. He could actually lie flat on his back, which was a wonderful feeling. The blanket was also soft and warm. It smelled clean. Like cotton. His pillow was also pretty soft. He had never had one before. It felt good under his head. But there were strange shadows cast on the floor and walls which he had never seen before. In his closet, there were no shadows, just darkness. He didn't feel too safe at first. He found by closing his eyes, he was unable to see the shadows and was therefore no longer scared of them. Still, the large room was pretty intimidating.

The next time Veneno opened his eyes, it was light out. It was like someone had just flicked on the lights and he woke up. At first he didn't know where he was but soon remembered and stretched out on his new bed, looking at the ceiling. His room looked much cheerier in the daylight. He wrapped the blanket around himself and rolled around on the floor, making a cocoon around his body. He liked the tight embrace, even if it was difficult to move. He rolled back onto the bed, unwrapping himself from the cocoon and sprawled out.

Someone knocked on the door and Veneno jumped up into a sitting position. "Are you awake? It's me," came Akon's voice.

Hearing the familiar voice, Veneno tossed his blanket aside and got up. "Yes, I'm awake." He answered the door, excited. Akon was standing there waiting for him. "Hi."

"Morning. How'd you sleep?" It was just a casual question. He really wasn't very interested.

"Great, actually. I didn't get to sleep at first for a while. Then I did and now I feel pretty good." Veneno twisted his body from side to side. "See? I'm not stiff at all."

"That's good. Come on, I'll get you something to eat." Akon started to lead Veneno down the hall.

For a while neither of them spoke. Then Veneno made a sound. "Uh…"

"Yes?"

He looked shy about mentioning it, but he did so anyway. "I had some really vivid dreams last night."

"Really?" Again, Akon was just making conversation. He didn't really care too much.

"Yeah. It was weird."

"Weird, huh? What was it about?"

"It was about you guys."

"Oh?"

Veneno nodded. "Yeah. Soul Reapers. They were all dressed alike but they looked different. They all had these dark and yellow eyes and kept growling. A couple of them even have these white things over their faces, like part of a mask but it wasn't quite there yet."

Akon stopped walking. "What?" Now he was interested.

"Yeah. They were acting like animals. It was weird."

Akon was starting to get nervous. "In this dream you had… did any of them talk? At all?"

"No. They just growled and walked around." Veneno looked out the window to their left. "Right around here. I saw them walking around a place that looked like that." He pointed out into the street where several roads connected between tall white walls which separated the street from the buildings. "It was really weird. I mean, I've never seen anyone act like that before."

This was a red flag to Akon. Those weren't just dreams. Those were memories. Maybe just fragments of memories but they were still memories. Those were Hollow Reapers in Veneno's dream. It really did happen. "Uh, these dreams… have you had them before or is this the first time?"

Veneno turned looking puzzled. "I always have them. Aren't you supposed to have dreams when you go to sleep?"

"Yeah. But I meant dreams like that. With those funny looking Soul Reapers?"

He nodded. "Yeah. All the time. I thought everyone had dreams that were alike all the time."

Akon slowly started to reach into his pocket to take out the notebook when he stopped, looking at the confused expression on Veneno's face. Slowly, he took his hands off it. This time, he wouldn't take notes. He didn't want anyone to know about this. Not yet.

* * *

It was early in the morning but with the sun up, it was guaranteed that so were most of the Soul Reapers. The only reason why anyone would get up this early willingly was for food. For everyone who lived in the Seireitei, they knew they had to get their own food one way or another. No one was going to cater to them unless there was reason for it. Which meant almost all the Soul Reapers had to do their own cooking. For those who couldn't cook well, or at all, there were alternatives. There were restaurants in the area but no one could afford to go out to eat all the time. Luckily, there were Soul Reapers kind enough to make large portions of food for themselves and everyone else. There were some really good cooks on staff.

Akon didn't mind making his own food too much, but it was very convenient to have other people do it for him. It was a good idea to bring Veneno along to pick out his own food as Ichigo had suggested they do. Akon showed Veneno to a table that had plenty to offer. There was a variety of food to choose from and plates set out for people to take what they wanted. For someone like Veneno, this must have looked like a buffet. He stood drooling over the different dishes of hot food still steaming where they sat. Since he wasn't sure what to take, having never eaten any of this food before, Akon suggested that he take a little bit from each one and test them out. Within no time, Veneno had piled up his plate with a little bit of everything. Akon led him over to a table where they ate sitting across from each other.

As soon as they sat down, Veneno started to attack his food with his chopsticks. He wasn't used to holding them so he fumbled a lot. Eating bread didn't require the use of chopsticks and when it came to rice he usually just wolfed it down as fast as he could, dumping it into his open mouth. Seeing Veneno struggle to properly hold his chopsticks made Akon wish that they had prepped him for this earlier. It was a little embarrassing. He hoped no one would see him.

Without drawing attention to them at the table, Akon cleared his throat and showed Veneno how to properly hold his chopsticks with his own hand. He showed Veneno what to do. He picked it up quickly. After a thirty second demonstration, Veneno was holding his chopsticks and eating his food happily.

There were a few things on the plate that Veneno really hated. He hated the cabbage and the raw carrots. Most of the vegetables he didn't particularly care for. The fried rice he loved. The same thing went for the omelet. He couldn't get enough into his mouth fast enough. Pushing the unwanted food aside, he made room for the foods he did care for.

Akon watched the spectacle without a word. This was mostly for two reasons. He wasn't used to seeing anyone eat like this and he was still dwelling on what Veneno had told him about his dream. "So… you said that you have the same dream all the time?"

"Hm?" He stuffed pieces of omelet and fried shrimp into his mouth all at once, unable to stop eating. "Well, no. Not exactly. I have dreams were different things happen but those funny looking people are always in them."

"I see…" Akon looked down at his half empty plate. Was it that Veneno couldn't have normal dreams like everyone else? Or were his dreams only his memories? What did this mean?

"Is something wrong?"

Akon looked up from his plate. "Oh. Uh, no. Everything's fine." He knew those dreams were fragments of Veneno's past only he wasn't aware of it. He had no memory of that life. He just assumed these were dreams and nothing more than that. Akon looked down at his plate again, thinking. "As long as he believed these to be dreams then everything should be fine. It wasn't like he could stop him from dreaming. But there was a danger of these 'dreams' jogging his memory. Or maybe he simply didn't have his old memory. He started anew. That was the old him. This was a new one, making new memories. What if his memories were in his mind so there was no danger of him regaining his memories? If that was the case, then why would he have these dreams in the first place? They must have been in his mind in order for him to have these dreams. If only he had more information. He wanted to figure this out.

Veneno packed his cheeks with fried rice and omelet. He looked across the table at Akon as he chewed the remains of his food. "Are you thinking?"

"Huh?" his head snapped up again. "Oh. Yeah. I am."

"About what?"

"Nothing important." Akon started to poke at his now cold omelet with the end of his wooden chopsticks. He decided not to tell him.

Veneno looked hungrily at Akon's plate. "Are you going to finish that?"

"Huh. Uh... No. Go ahead."

Handed Akon's unwanted plate, Veneno held it up to his open mouth and let the food fall onto his tongue. He was never allowed to eat his fill before. He was never allowed to pick out his own food or anything. He was enjoying this. Though it was early morning, he could already tell this was going to be a good day.

As he finished his food, someone came up to their table. "Hey, Akon. Good morning." Veneno turned and looked at the girl who had appeared at the end of the table. She had dark brown hair and eyes. She had her hair pinned up in a light blue cloth of some sort.

"Morning, Lieutenant Momo," greeted Akon. "What are you doing so far from your Division?"

"I came to ask how the new Soul Candies were coming along. Have you finished?"

"Not yet. And it doesn't look like we will before the end of the season at this rate. We're really busy with everything people are handing to us."

"Oh. I see."

Akon looked across the table at Veneno who had stopped eating, plate frozen to his lips. He was staring at Momo. Akon's brow lowered, looking at him. This couldn't have been Veneno's first time seeing a woman. He had seen Nemu, after all. Why was he staring at her in such a strange way?

Momo took notice of the brown-haired man and smiled at him. "Hello."

Veneno jumped, slamming his plate down on the table. His face was starting to get warm.

"I haven't seen you around. What's your name?"

"Uh…" He swallowed the food in his mouth but still found it difficult to speak. She had a really pretty voice. She was a really cute girl. He wasn't used to seeing someone like her. That's not to say that Squad 12 didn't have women. Just not ones who looked so… clean and undamaged. A lot of girls in the lab were either not very good looking or had something wrong with them that made them appear to be not well put together, like they were mutated by the chemicals they were always exposed to. Even Akon looked different from most people. No one else had three horns on their head. "I- I'm… V- Veneno…" he answered shyly.

"Hi. I'm Momo. Nice to meet you." She turned to Akon. "Is he new?"

"Uh, yeah, he is. I'm showing him around.

"I see. How nice!" She turned back to Veneno. "So you're in Squad 12. That's good. I hope you like it."

Veneno couldn't figure out how to answer nor if he was expected to. The next thing he knew, Momo had placed her hands on the table and leaned forward, getting closer.

"Hey, you know what? The Women's Association was going to be working on a project but two of our members aren't around to help. Would you like to give us a hand for a little while?"

"I don't know," said Akon. "We're kind of busy with our own thing. You know what I mean?"

"It's real quick, I promise! We won't keep you for too long."

"Well…" Akon looked across the table at Veneno who was fidgeting in his seat. He appeared to be restless. They didn't have too much to do in the lab. After all, it wasn't like he could do much. Maybe helping out the girls for a bit wouldn't be so bad. "Alright. I guess we can make an appearance."

Momo clapped her hands together happily. "Great! See if you can swing by the 13th Division in about an half hour, ok? See you there! Bye!" She bounced off, giggling.

Akon slumped in his seat. "Jeez… I hate it when they get giddy like that. That's how you know they're up to something…" He glanced over at Veneno who had his head turned in the direction Momo had left. "Hey. Veneno."

"Huh?!" He spun around, almost knocking over his glass of water with his arm. "What?"

Akon narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with you? Were you staring at her or something?"

"I uh…" Veneno looked down, looking flushed. "I just… It's just… I've never been so close to a girl like that before."

"Oh?"

"Y-yeah…" Veneno put a hand to his chest. "I feel strange…"

"Strange?"

"Yeah. M- my body feels hot. Is that ok?"

After staring at him for a while, Akon sat back with a sigh. "Ah, that's alright. Sometimes that happens when you're around a girl you like."

"Really? But… I'm not sure if I like her or not…" His green eyes shifted to one side and then to the other. "I mean… It's just that she's different from other girls I've seen. I'm not used to it…"

"Don't worry about it. In a few minutes, you're about to see a whole bunch of them gather in one spot. Can I trust you not to faint on me or nothing?"

Veneno didn't answer but played with his sleeve instead.

"Come on," Akon said, getting out of his seat. "If you're done eating, I'll take you over there."

* * *

When they reached the 13th Division, the women were already ready and waiting for them. Momo was there, of course, and waving at them. Akon shoved Veneno forward. "So what kind of help did you need exactly?"

Momo pointed. "Since Captain Ukitake hasn't been feeling very well the past few days, we wanted to make him a gift. At the last meeting we had, we came up with the idea of making him a huge banner. See?"

The women were all gathered around a large white cloth and several buckets of paint and flowers and glitter. It looked like some of them had already started to decorate the cloth, painting on flowers and pictures of Koi fish.

"That's what you needed help with?" Akon groaned. "It seems like something you could do on your own, don't you think? Why do you need us?"

"We need you to help decorate and without Rukia and Rangiku, it will take longer," explained Nanao. "With added help, we'll finish faster. We would like to present this to him this afternoon when he eats his lunch. Momo made him cookies and we were going to give them to him along with this."

"I see…" Akon didn't want any part of this but once again, he was dragged into something he didn't want to do. He turned to get Veneno's opinion, only to discover that he was already getting into the paint. Yachiru opened up one of the cans and showed him the yellow paint within. Fascinated by the colorful goop, he picked up a brush and dipped it into the paint.

"Over here, over here!" Yachiru pulled on his arm. He got up, following her over to the banner. "Put the paint on! Put it on! Hurry! Hurry!"

Veneno drew a line with the brush down the cloth. The yellow line dripped onto the ground when he lifted it up.

"Looks funny!" Yachiru laughed.

"It's ok. It looks like a racing stripe," said Nanao. "Everyone's welcome to help. Paint whatever you like."

Taking her words to heart, Veneno started to paint on the cloth whatever his heart desired. Yachiru joined him, now finger-painting, her hands yellow and red. Knowing there was nothing he could do to stop them, Akon decided to stay and supervise.

This was the most fun Veneno ever had doing a job. He was enjoying the painting, even if it was a messy job. While he worked, the women talked. They made small talk and reminisced about their pasts.

"What about you, Momo?"

"Well," she said, putting down the brush in her hand. "There isn't anything really funny or important that I can think of…"

"What about the Captain?" asked Nanao. "Isn't it true that you were friends for a long time?"

"Of course. I know he would never admit it, but I know he was sad when I went off the train to become a Soul Reaper. I left him back home with his Grandma. I promised to visit him whenever I could and I did."

"Did you play games?' asked Yachiru.

"Oh, yes!" Momo's face broke into a big smile. "We made a game out of watermelon. We used to see how far we could spit watermelon seeds. He won most of the time. I won only twice, I think. It was a lot of fun."

"Do you think he would admit to doing that now?"

"I don't think so. He always says he's not a little kid so he hates it when people bring up childish things he did in the past. I'm sure he would deny it." Momo picked up a flower and pinned it to the banner above the drawing of a cat she made in red paint. "He was the tops champion when we were kids. He still holds the record in our village." She turned to the man by her side. "Say, have you ever played tops before? Like when you were a little kid?"

Veneno looked up, taken aback by her question. "Uh… a little kid?"

"Yeah. Did you ever play tops? Spinning tops?"

He looked down. "I… don't think so…" Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember ever playing games. Or his childhood. There was a time when he was smaller than he was right now? He had no idea. It was hard to imagine someone growing so large and looking so different over the course of a few years.

"Did you ever play games with your parents?"

"My… parents..?" Veneno had no idea what that was. The concept was foreign to him. Parents. Two people who gave birth to you and raised you. A mother and a father. "I… don't think I have one of those."

"Aw…" Momo's face grew sad. "So you're an orphan…"

"An orphan…" He must have been. He didn't have parents so he must have been an orphan. But someone had to give birth to him, right? So he must have had parents at some point. Now that Veneno thought about it, he couldn't remember ever being anywhere other than the lab. These women could remember things from years ago and noticed themselves getting older, their bodies changing. But Veneno was not like that. What did this mean? His memory only went back a couple of days, maybe a week. It was hard for him to know.

Veneno stood up and bumped his head on something hard. He swatted it away without thinking and a moment later, all he saw was blue. His body felt heavy and slimy. He stepped backwards, getting his foot stuck in something that squished, getting his leg all wet. He fell backwards into someone and the two fell over.

"Are you alright?"

Veneno looked down. His Soul Reaper uniform was now dyed a blue color and his left leg and shoe were bright yellow. He felt someone pushing on him from behind and got up, slipping on the stone ground. Akon sat up, covered in blue paint, transferred from Veneno's goopy body. "Oops."

While the older women were silent, Yachiru was laughing her little head off, pointing at the two men. "You look pretty! Like blueberry syrup snow cones!"

Akon wiped the paint off his face and flicked his hand into the grass. "Great…" It was in his hair as well. But he wasn't nearly as bad as Veneno. All he had was a paint transfer. Veneno looked like he had climbed out of a swimming pool filled with blue paint.

Veneno stood quietly, not knowing what to do next. Paint was dripping into his eyes. He leaned his head forward and let it drip onto the ground. It looked like he was hanging his head in shame. Nanao picked up a rag and started to wipe off Veneno's face. Seeing this and knowing that she would end up uncovering Veneno's mask, Akon grabbed Veneno and pulled him aside.

"It's ok. I'll get us cleaned up. Looks like you're almost done anyway."

The banner was nearly complete. Surely the women wouldn't mind if they left to clean themselves up and not return. Excusing themselves, Akon took Veneno straight to the bathes to wash off the paint.

* * *

The bathhouse was empty at this time so there was no worry of anyone discovering them. Actually, it was Veneno Akon was concerned about. Now that he was undressed, his Hollow mask and hole were exposed for the world to see. His hole was located just below his collar bone in the center of his chest. Since they were alone and one of them was more messy than the other, Akon washed Veneno while he sat there, looking around the new room. This place was also new to him. Whenever Veneno needed to be bathed, it was done in a wash bin with a bucket of water. Being in a bathhouse was new and exciting.

But he couldn't enjoy it as much as he wanted to. Some troublesome thoughts were weighing heavily on his mind. This didn't go unnoticed by Akon. "What's wrong, Veneno? You seemed troubled."

Veneno stared straight ahead at the wall. "Akon… I…" He stopped.

"What's the matter? Tell me." Akon scrubbed Veneno's back with a damp cloth and some soap, massaging his back.

As if prompted by Akon's motions, he began. "Well… It's just that… those girls back there. They were talking about the things they did as children. Their pasts and memories."

"Yeah, so?"

"So… I don't have any." Veneno bent his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I don't remember anything. Not my family or my childhood. Nothing. I can only remember up to a few days ago." Veneno remembered very little. In the beginning, when he first woke up in the lab, all his experiences were like that of a baby. At the start of all this, even he was surprised he was able to put his thoughts into words that could be understood by others. As to be expected, Veneno didn't remember very much of those first couple of days. He could barely remember waking up on the floor with Mayuri's hand on his face. The details were unknown to him now. He couldn't remember. It was like trying to remember every detail of a very vague dream from long, long ago. But he knew that he couldn't remember the things those women could. He couldn't remember growing up or his parents or anything. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Why do you say that?" Akon asked, never stopping his hand moving up and down his spine.

"Because I can't remember the things other people can."

"Like what?"

Veneno lowered his head and hugged his raised knees with both arms. Water started to drip into his eyes causing him to blink. "Well… I can't remember my parents. I'm not even sure if I ever had any. But I must have. Otherwise how could I be alive right now? I had to have come from somewhere."

The cloth washing Veneno's back slowly came to a stop in the center of his back.

"And… I can't remember my childhood. At all. I don't remember being small and growing up. Or playing games or being with other kids or anything. I can only remember a few days back and that's it." It was like watching a movie that had the beginning and most of the middle cut out. He didn't know who anyone was but managed to figure it out over time. He couldn't remember his beginning. He just picked up life in the middle, relaying on everyone else to take care of his needs. It was a strange feeling only being able to remember a few days back. He knew there must have been more to it than that. He couldn't have just been dropped on earth exactly as he was right now. There must have been a reason why he was in that lab. He couldn't have just appeared there. But he couldn't remember. "What's wrong with me? Why don't I have memories?"

Akon's hand remained glued to his back, still holding onto the wet cloth. "You have memories," he said after a while. "You can remember things from days ago. So it's not like you don't have them."

"But why can't I remember further back than that? Everyone else can." Veneno turned his body to look at Akon sideways. "I can't help feeling that there's something wrong. I know I'm different from everyone else." He looked at Akon's bare chest and then to his own. "For instance… You don't have a hole like I do. We both have horns but…" He reached up and touched his mask fragment. "… Mine's different."

Akon didn't want to tell him the truth because of how he might react. Besides, Mayuri never said that he was allowed to tell him what really happened. Even he wasn't sure how Veneno was brought back. His Captain never gave him the details. For some reason, some very odd reason, he wanted to bring comfort to this worried man. Akon had realized over the course of these past few days that he was beginning to look at Veneno as less of an experiment and more of a person. These conflicting emotions weren't something he was used to feeling. Normally when something was an experiment, that was it. He didn't have an attachment to it. He built Gigais which resembled real people but he didn't look at them as people. Nor did he feel that way about Soul Candies. He knew they were artificial. But for some reason Veneno was different. He wanted to reassure him and not have him so worried. He couldn't help it.

"We're all different," Akon told him. He set the cloth down in his lap. "I have horns and no one else does. I grew these over time. They don't bother me. Some people look at them funny but I don't care. One guy in my department can take out his eye. A girl I see frequently has chains attaching her braids to her head. Everyone is different from everyone else. So what if you have a hole and no one else does? Who cares? It doesn't matter. What matters is what kind of person you are. You can be the best looking person in the whole world but be a total ass no one likes. Looks are irrelevant. Don't worry about it."

He didn't want to tell Veneno that he was an Arrancar. Now wasn't the time. He was learning everything slowly. Part of this experiment was to see what would happen to him over time. That's why he had the notebook. To record the process.

"What about memories? Why can't I remember things from far back? Do I have amnesia or something?"

He sighed, thinking about his answer. "No one can remember every single detail from every second of their life. You're no different. To be honest with you, I don't remember a lot of my childhood either. I don't remember everything that happened yesterday morning or anything. I don't think anyone is supposed to. There's too much going on to remember it all." He looked into Veneno's concerned green eyes. "It isn't important. You'll make new memories. I mean, you remember the things that happened today, right?"

Veneno started smiling. "Yeah… It was fun."

"Good. I guess you remember important things better. Most people are like that."

"So… what happened to me before wasn't important?"

"I don't know." Akon picked up the cloth and started to scrub off a patch of paint the found on Veneno's collar bone. "Like I said. You shouldn't worry about it too much. Sometimes the things we forget will come back to us when they're meant to. Don't try to force yourself to remember. It'll happen if it's meant to."

Veneno smiled. "Alright." He looked down, his body relaxing. Akon's words had put him at ease for now. He was still curious, but there was no sense in pushing it.

Akon continued to wash Veneno, moving the cloth up and down his well-toned body. Veneno seemed naturally fit. Slender but strong. He moved the cloth over Veneno's ribs just above his left hip. He started laughing and twisted his body. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing…" he chuckled. "That tickles."

Akon stopped the cloth where it was on his lower ribs. "Right here?"

He nodded. "I think I'm ticklish there."

"One way to find out." Akon did it again and Veneno turned his body away, curling into a ball. "I guess you are."

"Stop that!"

Akon started laughing along with Veneno. His laughter soon stopped and he wrung out the cloth over Veneno's back. This was the first time they had ever shared a laugh together.

* * *

The following morning, Ichigo was awakened by the sound of running footsteps coming down the stairs. He sprang up on the couch, looking around. At first he thought it might be because of an attack, but that was not the case. It was the girls coming down from Linnette's room for breakfast.

Rubbing his eyes, Ichigo looked over at the other two in the den. Yumichika was still asleep by the look of things. Ikkaku had thrown the pillow over his head as the girls came closer, giggling and talking excitedly. Ichigo turned around, kneeling on the couch and looked over into the kitchen. Victor was cooking something which smelled delicious. He wanted to get up and eat but was nervous about entering the same room as those girls. He thought it best to remain where he was until someone told him otherwise.

Speaking in English, Victor served the girls food at the table between the fridge and the wall separating the den from the kitchen. For girls, they were pretty messy and loud. Mostly loud. Ichigo was used to such noise early in the morning because of his father so it didn't bother him too much. It was taking a toll on Ikkaku's nervous, though. By this time Yumichika was awake and hiding under the covers.

"Tell them to tone it down!"

Ichigo turned to the men behind him. "I can't speak English."

"What the hell are you taking classes for, then?"

"I'm still learning!" He could greet himself and he knew how to say 'hello' and 'good-bye' as well as a few other words. He knew he didn't have enough under his belt to hold a conversation or make requests.

Victor looked into the den from where he stood. "Would you like to eat?" he asked the Soul Reapers.

Hearing Victor speak Japanese for the first time caused the girls to grow quiet and stare. In no time, they were talking again, all looking at Linnette who was nodding her head and talking back, smiling. Ichigo knew they must have been surprised that Victor could speak Japanese and were bound to be asking Linnette if she knew he could do that. They seemed very impressed.

"Is there room for us?" Ichigo asked.

Victor looked at the crowded table and then at the counter. "I could bring it to you and you could eat in there."

"Whatever's fine."

After a very playful and loud breakfast, the girls started to play another game in the living room. Then the doorbell started to ring. The parents were coming to pick up their daughters. Ichigo watched them all leave one by one out the front door. The mothers talked briefly with Victor and the girls thanked him and left out the front door.

After everyone was gone, Victor switched back to Japanese. "It's safe. You may come out now."

"You make it sound like we were scared of them," muttered Ikkaku.

"You certainly behaved so."

Rukia and Rangiku descended the staircase and entered the room. "It's quiet now," said Rangiku. "I thought they would never settle down."

"At least we were able to take a nice shower while they were playing around downstairs."

"I was wondering where you were," said Ichigo.

Victor showed the women to the kitchen, the table already cleared of all the dirty plates and cups. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Sure! That would be wonderful!" Rangiku sat down first at the booth in the corner of the room. "What are we having?"

Ikkaku leaned over to Ichigo. "She's enjoying this a little too much, don't you think? She's totally taking advantage of him."

"I didn't think so. She's just bolder than others."

He grunted and turned away.

Victor served the girls the leftover food. As he set a plate down in front of Rukia, he asked, "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well," she answered. "Thanks for lending us your beds."

"It's no trouble."

"That's right, since you two never sleep," said Rangiku. "That must be nice."

Victor shrugged. "Since I have nothing to compare it to… But one does wonder what it would be like."

Rangiku held up an empty cup for Victor to fill. "It's nice. I enjoy it. I'll have milk, please."

He took the cup and went over to the fridge. "And dreams? What are they like?"

"Eh." She twisted her hand from side to side. "Some are fun. But sometimes you have ones that don't make any sense and other times you have nightmares. Waking up is the only thing that stops them."

Victor handed her a cup of milk. "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?"

"When you have nightmares? Or dreams in general."

She made a small noise in her throat. "Um… Not really. Usually feeling pain wakes you up."

"So they are not harmful?" Victor sounded like a child asking an adult what God was. Ichigo remembered what it was like when he had to answers these questions for him a while ago. Victor was ignorant of dreams and what sleep was. Since he never experienced either, he must have had so many questions, highly curious.

"Not really. But they do say that if you die in a dream, you die for real."

Victor's eyes flashed with worry. "Is that true?"

"It's just a saying," Ichigo said quickly so he wouldn't worry. He knew he must have been worried that the next time Linnette went to sleep she might not wake up again. Ichigo could only imagine what he might do to prevent it. Keeping her awake all the time and watching her sleep were just the first two possibilities that came to his mind when he saw the fear in his eyes. He had to reassure him so he wouldn't do anything irrational. "There's no proof. And if it were true, it's very, very rare. But I doubt it'll happen. Don't worry." Ichigo looked at Rukia to change the subject.

Reading his eyes she opened her mouth. "Uh, so! Um… What did you want to do today?"

Rangiku pouted, twirling the fork between her fingers. "Oh… I really wanted to do some shopping in the city."

"You did that yesterday."

"I know but we barely got any shopping done at all! We only went to one store."

"It was three stories tall."

"I know, but still…" She set her fork down, still pouting. "New York is supposed to be the best place to shop in this part of the world. I want to explore it and take advantage of being sent all the way out here! We may never get another chance like this."

"I have to agree," said Yumichika. "I'm not agreeing with her ideals, just that it would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunity. I mean, it's like going to the beach and not going in the water."

"We aren't here to go shopping," said Rukia. "We're here to keep an eye out for Hollows."

Though that was what they were told, Ichigo couldn't help but notice how vague their mission was. It was as if they didn't want them knowing what they were getting into. Usually the missions were more detailed than this.

"We can do both!" Rangiku chirped. "We can go out into the city, do a little shopping and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. See? Killing two birds with one stone."

"But you don't know the city and none of us speak English."

"That won't be a problem," said Victor. "I could come with you and translate."

Rukia looked at him. She didn't think it was a good idea but she knew Victor could be trusted. Secretly, she wanted to do a little shopping as well. But she didn't want them going off alone or not doing well on their assignment. Conflicted, she sat quietly to have the decision made for her.

"Is that alright with you?" Victor was addressing Linnette.

She chewed her lip. "Um… I didn't plan on leaving today. I don't really feel like shopping."

"Oh."

"Ohh!" Rangiku whined, knowing that if she wasn't on board, they couldn't go.

"But you can take them with you," Linnette offered. "I'll stay here and hang out with Ichigo and anyone else who doesn't want to go."

Victor exchanged looks with the others then bent down to be at eye level with her. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Sure! They can go shopping like they want and I'll play with Ichigo like I want. I'll be fine with him around. Besides, if anything happens, Cedric will be here with me. It's perfect."

Her confidence and logic swayed Victor's decision. He nodded and straightened up. "Alright then. We'll get going as soon as everyone's ready."

Rangiku was already at the door, leaving her half empty plate behind on the table. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" She put on her heeled boots. "And with Victor with us, he'll be able to carry our bags so we can get even more things."

"See what I mean?" Ikkaku said again into Ichigo's ear. "She's planning on using him as a pack mule. She is totally taking advantage of him."

* * *

The afternoon was fairly peaceful. Linnette played video games with Ichigo in the den while Ikkaku stayed outside never speaking to anyone. Rukia had left with Rangiku, Yumichika and Victor to the main city to do some shopping. Though he was out of sight most of the time, Ichigo knew Cedric was watching nearby. Not that anything was going to happen but he was protective of Linnette.

Now that they had finished their 4th game, Linnette popped the top on the console to put in a new game to play. Ichigo set his controller down on the floor. He wanted to talk with her for a while. Now that Veneno was back, there were plenty of things on his mind. What kept coming back to his mind was how similar they were to each other. Linnette seemed to be pretty happy with her life the way it was even though it started out very painful. Perhaps there was a way he could help Veneno the way he helped Linnette so he would live a happy life. In order to do that, he had to figure out what it was that Linnette enjoyed so much.

"So… Linnette."

"Yeah?" She stopped shuffling the games in her hand, looking at him with bright blue eyes.

Ichigo paused, think about how he would ask his question. "Uh… So those were your friends, huh? Those girls?"

"Yup. They come over every now and then."

"You like them? They're nice to you?"

She nodded. "Yeah. They like some of the things I do. There are some things we don't agree on but that's ok. We have fun anyway. We do sleepovers. I didn't like them at first but I started to after we did it more often. They like coming over because of Victor and Cedric a lot. They like them because Cedric is really big and strong and they like Victor because he's like a prince to them. He's really nice to all of them."

Ichigo nodded. "And they're your friends not because of them, right? What I mean is… they're not just your friends because of the things you have, right?"

"I've wondered about it before. But that's not the case. We are really good friends. They have things at their homes that I don't have here and I'm not using them. Besides, a lot of them were my friends before we invited them over. One time, one of my friend's moms took me on vacation with them. It was a lot of fun. We went to a theme park."

"Did the guys come along?"

"No. They stayed here." Linnette gave a small sigh. "They were really sad about it, but they cheered up when they saw me come home. It was only over night, two days. We left in the morning. My friend and I got to share a bed in the hotel."

Ichigo nodded his head to let her know he was listening. "Sorry that a lot of us want to do our own thing. I'm sure you wanted to hang out with Rangiku and everyone, right?"

She shrugged. "It's ok. I know they're excited. Besides, she played with my friends yesterday when we gave Yumichika a makeover. That was really fun."

"But you're fine with them not wanting to hang out with you so much? I know Ikkaku doesn't want to at all. He hates playing games… unless it's a drinking game."

She was smiling again. "Oh, I don't mind. It's ok. I know they're not doing it to be mean or anything. They can do what they want. I can't force them."

What a difference from how Linnette was the first time he met her. Before she would have used any method necessary to get her own way. This was partly Victor's fault for telling her that it was the right thing for her to do. He was the one who made her a brat in the first place, teaching her that anything she did was ok and that she could do no wrong. What she needed was a family who taught her right from wrong, not an agent.

Which got him thinking. "Linnette… do you ever miss being a diva, singing on stage and all that?"

Surprisingly, she didn't take long in answering. "Not really. I still love to sing, but I do it for Victor and Cedric. I don't think I'd want to do it on stage again and be a star. That life was fun but stressful. We always had to go here and there and I couldn't spend more than a couple days in one spot. I think I like this life a lot better. I can do what I want, live in a home and get to live near some good friends." She lowered her eyes, looking at the games in her hands. "Besides… I mostly did it for the attention."

"Attention?"

"Yeah. Because at the orphanage, no one paid any attention to me. When they did, I was always being bullied. The other girls said that no one liked me and that no one wanted someone like me. As mean as they were, they got adopted and I stayed behind. No matter how nice I was, no one ever adopted me. So I started to think that maybe they were right. And if they were mean and bratty and got adopted, maybe I should do it, too."

Maybe that was why Victor and Cedric brought her up the way that they did in the beginning. She wanted to have her way because she never had it growing up. She learned based off of what she saw. If those girls were brats and got adopted, then maybe she should do the same in order to be wanted. It was childish logic but it seemed to hold true for her in some way. She did get what she wanted, but she wasn't happy.

"It must have been depressing, living like that," Ichigo said.

She lifted her head, smiling again. "Yeah, it was. But I'm not sad anymore. Because now I have a family and friends and people who care. I don't have to live like that anymore. I get attention even if it's not the same as I had as a rising star. I like it better this way. This way, I can live in a home, have a family that loves me, friends that live nearby and can do what I want for the most part. There's no pressure."

"So you do like how your life is, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I get to do cool things, too. I get to help people out and I even got to fight to protect my friends and my friend's friends in the Soul Society. How many other people can say they did that? It's a good feeling helping people out and being thanked. And I got to make some new friends, too. So if something happens and I lose one, that's ok, because I have others. Even if it's a good friend and I'm sad because they're gone, I have people who will help cheer me up."

Ichigo grinned. "That's a good way to think of it."

"And no matter what happens, I'll always have Victor and Cedric. They're always there for me and will always take care of me."

The look on her face spoke volumes to Ichigo. There was no way he could explain the joy she felt at the thought of always having her beloved family with her at all times. Out of everyone in the entire world, they knew her the best. They understood her. A beautiful unspoken bond.

Changing the topic slightly, Ichigo moved forward to be closer to Linnette. "What kind of things do you like doing with them? Why do you love them so much?"

"Well…" Linnette set the games in her hands down, moving closer to Ichigo. "They do things for me. Like make me food, read me stories and tuck me in at night and when I feel sick or really bad, they're always there to try to make me feel better. They show me that they really care." Smiling brightly, she leaned closer to Ichigo, as if excited about a secret she knew and wanted to tell. "Mostly, I like how they're just there. We don't have to go anywhere. We can stay right here. Cedric holds me and Victor talks to me real nice. He holds my hand. Cedric pats my head. And if I'm hurt or scared or sad, they give me a big hug and I feel a lot better." She looked towards the window. "When there's a storm, we sit by the window and watch it together. When it's cold outside, Victor makes me hot chocolate and wraps me up in a blanket and sits me on Cedric's lap. Victor reads me a story or we watch TV. Sometimes we just talk. It's really nice."

"It sounds nice."

"And in the summer, he buys lots of melons for me to eat on the porch. He opens them with his hands. Sometimes we make a game out of it. Once he gave me a hammer and told me to smash it. It was a lot of fun. And when it's really hot, he'll put ice cubes on my back and lets it melt. Cedric chases me around the yard with the hose, since we don't have a pool or anything. I also sit between them and they both fan me at the same time. And in the fall, we raked leaves together and I got to play in the pile. Cedric also takes me for rides in the wheelbarrow. He also plays other games with me. He tosses me in the air and catches me. We race around the yard. He spins me around and puts me on his shoulder. And when we go into the city, it's fun to window shop and see what's new. I don't mind walking. I like it. And sometimes I climb the trees in the park, even when Cedric doesn't want me to because he thinks I'll fall or get hurt on the branches."

A simple, happy life. She didn't need to be given a new toy everyday. She didn't need to go on expensive vacations. All she needed was right here with them. She was happy just spending time with them and knowing that someone cared. Someone would always be there for her no matter what.

Ichigo remembered how Veneno turned towards the breeze, feeling the wind on his face. He looked really happy. He enjoyed that. So simple. So wonderful.

Ichigo remembered the simple things he did in his life when he was younger. Things that he took for granted and things he missed. It was ok to like it and find wonder in the simplest of things. Linnette was very content with her life. She didn't need to be a star singing on stage or living in a mansion. She was happy just being here with them as a normal girl.

Veneno was sure to be the same way. Nothing like the simple things to cause so much pleasure. He wanted to show Veneno everything he was missing out on. He wanted him to experience joy and be happy. If he was shown those things, maybe he would turn out better. Maybe if he was given a friend, he would turn out the way Linnette did. She was very happy and pleased with her life.

The front door opened and Rangiku's voice filled the house. "Now that was a good shopping day!"

Linnette stood up and ran to the front door to greet them. "Victor! You're back!"

Victor came in last, carrying all the bags. It was hard to see him through all the colorful boxes and bags. "Hello, sweetie." He closed the door with his foot. "How was your afternoon?"

"It was great! Ichigo and I played video games and Cedric made us sandwiches. I had tomato on mine."

"That's wonderful." Victor carried the bags over to the living room and set them down by the wall. Ichigo counted 37 bags in total. It was amazing Victor could carry so much. Not to mention the boxes he had stacked up on either side of the pile. Most of the boxes were shoes but there were a couple which were evening dresses, coats and a stack of small boxes which Ichigo guessed where candy related.

"This city is great!" Rangiku said, flopping down on the couch beside the coffee table. "I got a lot of shopping done today. There's even a lovely little spa I have to get back to later on. It looked so cute. No guys, though. Too bad. Oh! Oh! And we stopped for lunch at this cute little café by a park. It was really good, wasn't it, Rukia?"

"Uh-"

"And this handsome guy was checking me out at the table. Too bad he didn't speak the language. That's ok. I'm sure we understood each other. And I got these cute boots at one of the stores. I can't wait to wear them. I have the perfect outfit that would go with them. Two, actually."

While she went on and on, Yumichika had moved to the back of the house, looking for Ikkaku. He was no longer in the yard. He had gone inside looking for something to eat. He started to pull open cupboards and drawers, searching for something to his taste. Yumichika opened the fridge, poking his head inside. He started moving things around with his hand while he leaned on the door with the other. Not taking kindly to this, Cedric stepped behind him and stared. The glare alone was enough to convince Yumichika to stop what he was doing.

"Got anything good?" asked Ikkaku rudely.

With a patient smile, Victor walked towards the kitchen, pointing to various items they had to offer. "We do have fixings if you want to make yourself a sandwich. We also have some cake. There's also left-"

"Got anything good?" he repeated. He looked into the open fridge. "All you've got in here is juice and milk."

"There are water bottles on the counter. Linnette doesn't like cold water. She prefers it at room temperature."

Ikkaku slammed the door shut, causing the objects resting on top to rattle back and forth. "Should have known these guys wouldn't have anything hard in a house with a little girl in it."

Now understanding what he wanted, Victor pointed into the dining room. "I do have a wide selection of fine wines in the next room."

Ikkaku and Rangiku looked up. "You have alcohol?"

"Of course. I drink it from time to time. There's a rack of it over there."

The two stood up and bolted to the next room. There they found a wooden rack filled with different kinds of wine. They counted with their eyes. Each row held seven bottles and there were eight shelves. Ikkaku grabbed one of the darker looking bottles and read the label. It was in French. Popping the top, he inhaled the strong aroma. It may not have been sake, but this would do just fine.

Victor looked into the room. "Wine is really something best saved for the evening, don't you think?"

"But we can have some anyway, right?" Rangiku asked, holding a bottle to her chest.

With a weary grin, Victor opened a cupboard and took out two wine glasses. "If you insist."

Rangiku reached for one of the glasses while Ikkaku drank directly from the bottle.

* * *

The sun had set and everyone had finished their dinner. There were still a few hours until everyone would go to bed. Linnette was having a good time playing and talking with the girls. Yumichika had locked himself in the bathroom, trying out his new scented soaps in the tub upstairs. Victor was washing dishes in the sink while Cedric cleaned the dining room table. This was the perfect time for Ichigo to sneak away. He crept out the sliding doors into the back yard where Ikkaku sat, nursing the bottle of wine he had been working on for most of the evening. He looked up when he saw Ichigo.

"Could you do me another favor and open the Senkaimon again?"

Without questioning him or his motives, Ikkaku fulfilled the request and opened the Senkaimon. Ichigo thanked him and entered.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

It was morning in the Soul Society because of the time difference. At this hour, many of the Soul Reapers had their morning meal and were tending to their work for the day. Ichigo went straight to the Department of Research and Development. He slipped inside when someone opened the doors to let themselves in. He wandered around, looking for Akon. Where he was, Veneno would surely be.

After going up and down the many halls, he reached a room where Akon was handing Veneno a stack of things to do. They were both very busy by the look of things. Ichigo stepped forward and gave a small wave of his hand to get their attention. Veneno looked up and smiled.

"Hi, Ichigo!"

Akon turned around. He didn't look surprised or happy to see Ichigo. He looked rather indifferent. He set some things on a cart and started to wheel it out the door. "Come on, Veneno. We have things to deliver."

"Right."

Ichigo followed after them. Every now and then, Akon would stop and hand something to Veneno who would take it somewhere and deliver it. Then they would get going and do it all over again. Most Soul Reapers didn't look up from what they were doing. Some said 'thank you' but most said nothing or grunted.

Ichigo leaned down to whisper to Akon. "How are things going with him?"

"Fine." He handed Veneno a file to take with him. "It's a pain in the ass to bathe him. He can't take a bath when there are people around. They might see his horn or his hole."

"A hole is kind of hard to miss."

"Especially when it's in the middle of your chest like his." Veneno came back and he handed him another file to take. "So far, everything's going ok. He helped the women out before. They were making a banner. He's never been around women before like that. His face was pink most of the time."

"Oh, really?" He looked over at Veneno who was scratching his head just below where his mask was located. His moving finger brushed his brown hair aside. His horn poked out for only a second then was covered up again by his hair. He turned his head and handed a man the file in his other hand. "Has anyone noticed anything yet?"

"No. So far no one has any idea." Akon shifted things on the cart around, looking for another file. "As long as no one sees his mask or his hole, we're safe."

"Shouldn't you invest in a hat or something?" Ichigo asked.

Akon didn't answer him. He handed Veneno another file. "Room 11, got it?"

"Yup. Got it." He took the file and went over to another room with an 11 hanging above the door.

"No one has any idea that he's different. However, I think he's beginning to realize it himself."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because he told me." Akon looked at Ichigo. "He's realized that he's missing his memory. He never questioned it before now. But we were talking before and it had him concerned. He also noticed that he has a hole in his chest and I do not. He noticed that I have two more horns than he does and that his look different. He's starting to question things."

"What'd you tell him?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"That's right." Akon picked up a folder, stuffing papers inside of it. "I'm not going to jeopardize anything in this experiment. Mayuri never said that I could tell him. And if I do tell him, he might freak out. It might also make him regain his lost memories. There's no telling what would happen."

"So you're just going to leave him in the dark about it?"

Akon looked at him again. "So you want me to tell him?"

"I…" Ichigo stopped. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do just yet.

"That's what I thought." Veneno returned and Akon handed him another file. "This one goes to the end of the hall. Then we go down to the next floor."

"Ok."

While they made their deliveries, Ichigo followed along silently. He kept getting a bad feeling in his chest about all this. Something wasn't right.

They went to the next floor with a single file left to deliver. This one was going to the Communications Department.

"You know," Ichigo began again. "Eventually someone is going to figure this out."

"Hey, you were the one who wanted me to get him out of the lab in the first place."

"What I'm trying to say is that something is bound to happen. I have a bad feeling about all this. I think keeping him in the dark is going to come back to bite you in the end."

Akon opened the door to the department. "Ichigo, I'm sure I've told you this before. No one remembers being Hollow Reapers. Most of them had no idea that an Arrancar was involved. I didn't even know and I was infected and the Arrancar was in the lab with us. As long as those two things on his body remain hidden, no one is going to know. It's not like anyone saw him in the lab or anything."

Veneno took the file from Akon and went over to a boy with brown hair by a computer built right into his small desk. He tapped him on the shoulder with the corner of the file. "I have a delivery for you."

Rin turned around to take it. "Thank-" He froze.

The two stared at each other. Rin's eyes grew wide with horror. He remembered that face. That hair, those eyes. Veneno's temple tingled strangely. Something about seeing that horrified look on Rin's face seemed oddly familiar.

The small Soul Reaper screamed and climbed over the back of his computer, hiding.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

"Oh, crap." Ichigo knew exactly what was going on.

Akon looked at him, confused. "What's wrong?"

"There was someone who saw Veneno in the lab before he became a Hollow Reaper. And that was Rin," Ichigo explained. His heart started racing. "Rin knows what Veneno looks like."

"Oh, crap!"

Rin peered over the top of his station, trembling. Since Rin was known to be pretty skittish, most of the staring Soul Reapers went back to what they were doing, ignoring him. Though he was wearing different clothes, it was definitely Veneno, that horrible Arrancar who turned nearly everyone into Hollow Reapers, including Rin himself. He remembered the pain he was in when Veneno grabbed his throat, choking him. Though his transformation was over quickly, the pain was so intense it felt as if it were happening for an eternity. Non-stop agony. He may not have remembered much during that time, he remembered the man's face clearly. It haunted him. And here he was, standing before him, looking down at him. His posture wasn't threatening, but Rin couldn't help but feel intimidated. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind all at once. What was he doing here? How was this possible? How did he come back? Wasn't he dead? What was he planning to do? Was he going to attack? Was he going to turn everyone into a Hollow Reaper again? Was he going to kill him? Why was he staring at him like that? Wasn't anyone going to help him? What was he going to do?

Veneno took half a step towards him but only to ask if he was alright. No one had ever responded that way before. The moment he moved, Rin screamed again, keeping his body hidden behind this work area. Veneno stopped. Was Rin screaming because of him? What had he done?

He had to warn everyone. He had to stop it before it began. Everyone was in danger. He tired to speak but his voice wasn't working for some reason. He was terrified. When Veneno made another movement, Rin found his voice and scream again. "It- It-s..!" He pointed a trembling finger at Veneno. "It's him! H- he's the..! He's an Arra-"

Akon ran over and threw his hand over Rin's mouth, stopping him. Rin fought back, trying to get his warning out. Akon grabbed Rin and dragged him out of the room, kicking and screaming all the while. Ichigo looked over at Veneno was looking very confused, wearing a look which read 'what did I do?' while he looked at the teenager.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Akon put Rin against the wall, his right hand still covering his mouth as he held him in place. Rin was still screaming into Akon's palm, twisting this way and that. Ignoring the slobber and tears on his hand, Akon shushed him.

"Would you knock it off? Stop yelling."

Rin pulled at Akon's arm, trying to uncover his mouth. He kept trying to speak, his muffled pleas and warnings muffled by his hand.

"Knock it off."

"Mmmn mm mn Mnmmn!"

Akon understood what he was trying to say. "I know he's an Arrancar."

"Mm?!"

"Shut up and listen!" He pushed Rin's head into the wall. Rin kept crying into his hand. "Listen, listen! Stop crying!"

"M mnm mmm mn!" He was trying to say 'I can't help it'. Akon could tell by the pitch.

"That's not the same Arrancar that attacked us before."

"Mm?"

"Mayuri made him. Ok? Do you understand? This guy's different."

Rin kept mumbling into his hand, apparently forgetting that his words were inaudible. Somehow, Akon managed to understand him. Sort of.

"He's different. He doesn't even know he's an Arrancar. He thinks he's a Soul Reaper. He's helping us out, doing chores and whatever else. He's just an experiment and nothing more. He doesn't even have Hollow powers. He's not the same person. Totally different. Not only that, but he also has amnesia."

"MnNmm?"

"Yeah." Akon sighed rubbing the back of his neck with his other hand. "Look, even I'm not sure what he did. I don't think that's the real Veneno but maybe a copy of him. Or maybe it is the real him only upgraded or something. He told me nothing. But the guy in that room right now isn't hostile at all."

"Mnm?"

"Really." Akon moved closer. "But listen to me. No one, and I mean no one, is supposed to know about this. Everyone thinks he's one of us and I would like to keep it that way. After all, Mayuri did this experiment illegally. He trusted me to keep it a secret. Now that you know, you have to keep your mouth shut, too. Got it?"

Of all people to find out, why did it have to be Rin? He wasn't the type to keep secrets or to hide them very well. All someone needed to do was look him in the eye for an extended period and he would spill his guts. He was easily intimidated.

"It's Mayuri's order. And you know how the Captain is. Imagine what would happen if word gets out… and if he found out that you were the one responsible for revealing it?"

Rin gulped, looking up at Akon with big frightened eyes.

"So… can I trust you?"

He nodded his head up and down as far as Akon's hand would let him. Akon was his superior. Not to mention the fact that Akon had protected him during that terrifying week. He felt that he owed him a favor. Plus, he was fearful of what would happen to him if Mayuri found out that he knew and spread the word. He wouldn't tell. No way! He'd rather be a Hollow Reaper again than face the Captain's wrath.

Akon removed his wet hand from Rin's mouth, wiping it off on the smaller boy's white lab coat. "Good. Glad you understand." They went back into the room. Rin started backing up the moment he saw Veneno again. "Remember, different person. Blank slate. No danger to us or anyone."

Rin nodded and moved forward slowly. He kept his distance on his way back to his seat. Veneno handed Rin the papers again. "Here's the reports from the upper level." Rin quickly snatched them away, gawking at Veneno. He certainly didn't seem very hostile. He must not have been a threat.

"Come on," Akon patted Veneno's shoulder. "On to our next assignment."

"Sure." Veneno turned, following Akon and Ichigo followed after both of them. They didn't look back to see what Rin was doing but judging from the lack of screams, he must have been doing better.

Akon took them down two floors to the lower labs. Few Soul Reapers were around. Most of them were upstairs dealing with bigger projects. They moved to one of the lab rooms which connected with another. It was empty. A table was piled up with equipment, making it look like the researches had just left. Akon picked up a broom laying against a wall beside a chair.

"Bunch of slackers haven't been keeping up with the cleaning down here. With all the projects going on, no one seems to have time to clean up their other works." Akon turned around, holding the broom at his side as if it were a powerful weapon. "Which leaves us to pick up the slack."

"You guys are going to clean these labs?" Ichigo asked.

"Normally a 3rd Seat wouldn't have to, but in this case I do. I'm also training Veneno so I have to help him out otherwise what kind of teacher would I be?" Akon pushed a chair out of the way. "Lab techs usually clean up their own messes to avoid cross-contamination. These guys were just lazy."

He didn't usually clean up other people's messes but he had little choice in this situation. Akon didn't intend to do a lot of the cleaning. That was Veneno's job. He was just going to supervise. He moved across the room to a door in the back which happened to be a connected lab, slightly smaller than this one.

Ichigo followed behind Veneno who had grown strangely silent. He was usually so comfortable in the lab. But this lab rubbed him the wrong way. Something about it didn't feel right.

Veneno followed Akon to the door. As he got closer, he could feel his body shaking with nervous tension. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? Was it because he was going into a lab he had never been in before? He didn't feel like himself. Something was wrong.

Akon opened the door and showed him inside. "Ok. I guess we'll turn on the lights and see the damage." Akon flicked up the lights and looked around in disgust. "Damn. These guy don't know how to clean. Leave us with the dirty work, huh? Jerks."

Veneno stayed at the door. He didn't move. He didn't want to go into that room. It sent a shiver down his spine. A new feeling. Fear. He was afraid.

Akon took notice of this and frowned. "What's the matter with you? Get in here."

"I… I…" Veneno didn't move.

Rolling his eyes, Akon grabbed Veneno's arm and pulled him into the room. He gave Veneno a shove to the left towards a table covered with chemical spills and tools. "We don't have all day. Let's get started. You take that half and I'll take this half. Get started on the table while I sweep up over here."

Veneno wasn't listening. Something about this room made his spine grow cold. He was shaking again. His hair stood on end. Why did he feel as if something were about to jump out and attack him?

To please Akon, he made a move towards the table and froze again. This table… It looked the same as the others in the different labs. The bottles and beakers on the surface looked… different. He was afraid to go near them, as if they would rear up and bite him if he tried. He looked at the other equipment, his eyes widening. These sharp tools… the needles, the saws… the knives. His head started to throb. The longer he looked at them, the worse the pain became.

He looked at the jars and flasks. They looked so dangerous for some reason. He wanted to get out of here. He wanted to leave. As he turned, his eyes fell upon something else. A storage closet in the back of the room. The wooden door was open. Shelves were built right into the wall. Rows of jars and tools and containers. His head started to throb worse.

His body felt hot. His head began to pound. Stinging. There was a stinging sensation in his ribs and chest. Veneno crossed his arms, his nails digging into his arms. His was shaking even worse now. He couldn't stop. The room grew larger. It closed in around him. He started to hyperventilate. He couldn't breathe. He felt as if he were drowning. His body ached. He was in so much pain. He tried to escape but kept hitting a clear glass wall. It surrounded him. Encasing him. Large, sharp needles began to pierce his fresh. The sharp tips scratched his bones. The muscles were tearing and stretching. Pulling, burning, breaking. Veneno held his head as wave upon wave of pain came crashing down on his skull. He felt as if it were going to split if he get go. Holding it was the only thing that could keep his head from breaking open. The pain was also much worse. Such incredible pain.

Ichigo noticed Veneno's strange behavior and stared at him. He was standing in the middle of the lab, looking at a closet in the back, holding his head. "Veneno?"

He watched Veneno's state as he stood there, rigid. He was trembling. His whole body was shaking as if he were having a seizure. His breathing quickened. He started sweating bullets. He wasn't responding to anything Ichigo said.

The stabbing. That horrible stabbing. His body burned. It was like being lit on fire. It grew more intense. It was as if his bare body were placed on a hot stove and unable to remove himself from the red hot burner. White hot blades stabbing his flesh, tearing him apart. Things injecting into his marrow, making him feel nauseous and burned him from the inside out. More burning. More stabbing. More needles. More injections. More knives. More pain. It was too much. He was going to explode. He was going to die. He was scared. So scared. He wanted it to stop. It never ended. More were coming. He could see it. The tips of many more lab equipment heading straight for his face and torso.

"Veneno..?"

"No!"

Akon and Ichigo jumped.

Veneno screamed out, holding his head in his hands. His heart pounded so violently, he was sure it would pop under the pressure. The pain in his head was so intense. It was never this bad before. No matter what he did, all he could feel was that pain. All he could see was a jar and a million needles and knives heading his way. He wanted it to stop. It had to stop! Please make it stop!

Veneno's pupils rapidly contracted and dilated. An unending nightmare. So many tools, so much pain, so many researchers in lab coats. A man with insane eyes and yellow smile. And roaring. Screaming. And then nothing.

Veneno's eyes rolled back in his head and his body became listless. His screaming had finally stopped.

Ichigo rushed forward and threw his arms behind Veneno's shoulders to break his fall. "Veneno?" As Ichigo held the unconscious man in his arms, a wave of fear hit his heart. Though out cold, Veneno's face still held a look of fear and pain. He was silently suffering.

"Is he ok?' Akon came hurrying over. "What happened?"

"I… I think he fainted." Ichigo looked around the lab. There must have been a reason why he would react that way. They were in a lab. That shouldn't matter. This building held multiple labs. Why would this one matter so much? What difference did it make? A lab with tools and shelves and tables and a closet in the back with shelves containing jars…

Ichigo's eyes widened with realization. This wasn't just any lab. This was Veneno's lab. The one the Arrancar was born in. This was where his painful experimentations occurred. They were standing in his torture chamber.

Akon poked Veneno's face with his middle finger. "Why would he faint? I've never seen him flip out like that."

Taking Veneno into his arms, Ichigo began to carry him out the door. "We have to get him out of here."

"What? Why?"

Ichigo gestured to the room with his eyes. "It's this lab! This is where he started out in the first place. This is the room Mayuri used when he experimented on Veneno and turned him into an Arrancar."

"So what? Why would he react like that? It's not like he remembers." Unless a part of him was subconsciously having a reaction to his surroundings. Though he may not consciously remember, being around something so traumatic might have sparked something in Veneno, making him relive his tortures in his mind and causing him to pass out from the stress.

Ichigo carried Veneno out of the room and back the way they came. "I think we should get him checked out."

Akon ran in front of Ichigo to block him. "Whoa! Red flag! Red flag! You cannot do that. No one can find out about him, remember? Or have you forgotten?"

"He needs help! You're just going to leave him?"

"He'll be fine when he wakes up. As long as we don't go in that lab again, he'll be fine."

"I think he needs to be looked at."

"And what, give him a physical? Hello! There are a couple things on his body I'm sure a medic is bound to notice… like the gapping hole in his chest! Dead giveaway! We are not doing that. We can handle this on our own."

Ichigo stood there, holding the limp Veneno bridal style. "Then what do you suggest we do about this? He's not well! People shouldn't just pass out like that!"

"He fainted. That's it. Let's not make a big deal out of this."

"Usually you don't faint unless there's a reason."

"And the reason was the lab. Now that he's out of there, he'll be fine. How many times do I have to say it?"

Ichigo looked down at the unresponsive Veneno. They needed to do something about this. Things were not going well. Not at all.

* * *

Ichigo and Akon took Veneno back to his room and lay him in bed. He lay there motionless. By this time, his tortured expression had dissipated, leaving him looking like he had merely fallen asleep.

The boy with orange hair hunched over the bed on the floor, looking at the Arrancar. Veneno was clearly in pain. Being brought back to that room must have jarred something in his mind. His screams of agony were proof enough of that. Nothing had touched him, but Veneno could feel the pain he experienced in the past. This wasn't good. Ichigo didn't want Veneno to experience pain but being in that lab was causing it.

"He can't go back there again."

Akon looked up from his open notebook. After laying Veneno in bed, he had taken out the notebook and jotted down some notes on Veneno's condition. "Fine. I won't take him back to that room again. Not if he's going to act like this."

"I don't think he should be in the lab at all," Ichigo said.

The book closed. "What? Need I remind you that he wasn't supposed to leave the lab at all? You don't call the shots here."

"I just think that he would be better off if he didn't go back. It's causing him pain."

"And? This is more information we didn't have before. More data for the experiment."

"So that's all he is to you, isn't he? Just an experiment?" No wonder Veneno hated Soul Reapers. If this was how they thought… "The guy's in pain and all you can think about is data? Try helping him."

"Hey, if I didn't care, I wouldn't have gotten him this room or any of this crap he didn't have before."

"Only because I twisted your arm."

Akon put the notebook back in his pocket. "Why the hell do you care so much, anyway? Mayuri did this. He brought him back. He's here and you're there. Why does any of this concern you?"

"Because I don't want a repeat of what happened the last time. With the Hollow Reapers and him running amuck in the Soul Society." He looked down at Veneno for a moment, remembering everything he had done in the past. Everything he believed. "You've got to show him a little compassion, you know? Back then he believed that Soul Reapers were evil. Coldhearted and not understanding at all and only cared about themselves. You want him to revert back to how he was before because you confirmed everything he believed by treating him as nothing more than an experiment?"

"We can't cater to his every whim because you're afraid that something might happen. It might not. We can't live in fear of this guy throwing a tantrum."

"That tantrum caused half of Karakura Town and most of the Soul Society to turn into Hollows!" Akon had no retort for that. He kept staring into Ichigo's unwavering eyes. "I want to do this right this time around. I want him to see that Soul Reapers aren't as evil as he thinks and that he can be friends with them. I don't want him to suffer."

With those words, Akon understood him. "You're just doing this because you feel guilty about killing him so this is your way to make amends."

Ichigo flinched. "Th- that's not…"

"Then you don't feel guilty?"

"No. It's just… That's only part of it. I don't…" He still wanted to save him.

Veneno made a small noise and the two looked down. His eyelids fluttered. Then snapped wide open. He jolted awake, grabbing the sides of his sheets and looking wildly around as if someone were about to attack him.

"Relax. Calm down."

Veneno calmed down when he saw the two familiar faces looking down at him. "What happened to me?"

"You fainted. It's alright, we took you back to your room."

"I fainted?" Veneno rested his head back onto the pillow, looking up at the ceiling. "I… don't think I ever did that before. Is that normal?"

"Normally people don't do that unless there's a reason. Like if you were scared or something," said Akon.

"Scared?" Veneno kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling over his head. Something must have scared him but he couldn't remember. "I was… I was in the lab and then I…" That was as far back as he could think. He was used to lapses in memory. He only possessed memories of one week of his entire life. Considering how many years he must have been missing, what difference did an hour here or there make? Memory must have been more complicated than he thought.

Ichigo reached over Veneno's face. His green eyes watched his hand move over him and come to rest on his forehead. Veneno shut his eyes, unsure of what Ichigo was going to do. His warmth felt good on his cool forehead. He felt Ichigo's fingertips gently touch his mask fragment, but didn't mind. "You don't have a fever or anything. You were sweating before. You've cooled down." Ichigo removed his hand and moved it down to Veneno's hand. Ichigo's middle finger checked the heart rate on Veneno's wrist. Veneno remained quiet during these tests. "Your heart's not racing anymore, either. Glad to see you've calmed down."

After seeing Veneno's reaction to the lab, Ichigo had worried that it might have caused some sort of trauma in him, be it physical or mental. Despite all the positive results, Veneno was still shaking. He started to sit up. Ichigo put an arm behind him in case he fell.

Veneno was looking at Akon. "Am I ok? I'm not sick am I?"

"Nah. You're good." Akon seemed to dismiss this incident as nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Akon exchanged looks with Ichigo, then rolled his eyes and looked back at Veneno. "Did you want to return to work in the lab or did you want to take it easy for a while and rest?"

"I get to pick?" Veneno looked surprised. For the longest time, everything was decided for him. He could choose if he wanted to work or not or when?

"We don't want you fainting again. Normally everyone has to work but if you're not feeling well…"

Veneno sat on the edge of his bed looking at them with determanation. "I don't want to be left alone. I'm feeling fine now. I want to work."

"You do?" This question came from Ichigo.

"Yeah. I'd get bored if I stayed here. There's nothing to do. And I want to help. Everyone's so overworked in the lab. I'd feel bad if I was slacking off and laying in bed while everyone's stressed out over there."

After a bewildered stare down with the eager Arrancar, Ichigo gave him a smile. "Alright. Good for you. That's compassionate thinking…" Ichigo helped him stand up. "If you want, I can bring you a gift the next time I visit."

"A gift?" Veneno looked confused.

"Yeah. Kind of a get-well sort of thing… or a way of saying nice job for going back to work so soon to help people. Like a reward."

Veneno still looked unsure. "I don't think I've gotten a gift before. Have I?"

Akon shrugged. "You can consider this new room of yours and the clothes a gift. Or the cake Ichigo gave you before."

"That's a gift?"

"Trust me. You'll like it." Akon opened the door. "We should get back to work, though. And Ichigo should get back to where he belongs." He looked at Ichigo. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah, yeah…"

Ichigo started to leave in another direction when he noticed that Veneno still seemed tense. His shoulders and legs were still shaking. Though awake, Veneno was still experiencing a nightmare. He was still very upset. He wasn't reassured yet. No one had comforted him. It was right back to work for him the moment he woke up. Ichigo remembered his conversation with Linnette and knew what had to be done. No one else was going to do it so he had to be the one. He had to show him that someone cared enough to comfort him.

Knowing that they were alone, Ichigo walked forward and stood in front of Veneno. "You're still upset, aren't you? You're shaking."

"Uh…" Veneno looked away. He didn't know why his body was behaving this way. It was strange.

Without an answer, Ichigo moved forward and put his arms around Veneno's shoulders and held him. He sensed the surprise in Veneno by the way the muscles in his spine tightened. Ichigo embraced the slender Arrancar's body in an awkward but completely earnest way.

"W… what are you doing?" Veneno squeaked. "What is this?"

"I'm giving you a hug."

Veneno's body remained stiff. "A… hug?"

One of Veneno's regrets from his past was never knowing what a hug felt like. No one had embraced him before. This version was the same way. This was Veneno's first hug.

"You do this to show someone you care about them. It makes them feel better if they're scared or upset." Ichigo wasn't used to doing such a thing to people. He found it awkward. Doing it to another man was even more uncomfortable. But he knew this was what Veneno needed. It worked for Linnette when she was upset. And Ichigo remembered when he was upset, his mother would hold him and tell him that everything was alright.

"So… This is a hug?"

"Yeah. It's supposed to make you feel better." Ichigo held Veneno tighter, his arms crossed behind Veneno's back and shoulders, their chests touching. Ichigo kept his head turned to the side to avoid getting Veneno's hair in his mouth.

Veneno kept his arms at his sides while Ichigo held him. Ichigo's body was warm. He had a unique scent. The way he held him felt strange, but not in a bad way. It was hard for him to put into words but he did feel safer somehow. He felt that as long as Ichigo held him, nothing could hurt him. Veneno started to move his arms. He placed them behind Ichigo, wrapping them around his back, holding him. This wasn't so bad. Like holding a stuffed animal or a pillow. There was something therapeutic about it. It did make him feel better.

Ichigo felt the resistance drain from his body and saw his face relax. The tension was gone and Veneno rested his head on Ichigo, holding him back.

"This isn't so bad," he heard him say. "I like it. It feels kind of nice."

Veneno had stopped shaking, finally put at ease.

After a full minute, Ichigo stepped back, taking his arms off from around Veneno. "Feel better?"

Veneno stepped back as well, nodding. "Yeah." He was smiling like his usual self.

"Good." Ichigo smiled back. "I'd better get going. I'll be seeing you later, ok?"

"Alright. Bye, Ichigo."

He waved and went down the hall to the exit. After being inside for so long, Ichigo was rendered temporarily blind stepping into the bright sunlight. Keeping one eye shut he jogged to the end of the street and turned, almost running into two women. "Whoa! Sorry!"

Nanao and Momo stopped where they stood, taken by surprise. "Ichigo, be more careful. Watch where you're going."

"Yeah, sorry. Sorry."

Nanao adjusted her glasses. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you went on an assignment with Lieutenant Matsumoto and Rukia."

"I was. I mean, I am."

"Then why are you here?"

Ichigo thought quickly. "I was just visiting someone really quick. They weren't feeling the best."

"Oh," said Momo. "Did you mean Captain Ukitake? Well, you won't find him here. He went home. His condition got worse."

"Oh, it did?"

"Yeah. We made him a banner yesterday and tried to give it to him but he wasn't in his office. So we took it to his home instead."

"That's nice of you."

Momo nodded her head, though she looked very worried. "I hope he's alright. He wasn't his usual self."

Before she could go on, Nanao put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from speaking. "I think Ichigo should return to his mission, don't you think? Before he gets in trouble."

Taking the broad hint, Ichigo nodded and continued on his way without saying anything to them.

Momo watched him go and then looked back at Nanao. "I am worried about Captain Ukitake, though. He was acting very strange."

"What do you expect? He's not feeling well. Anyone would behave that way when they're under the weather."

"I know that. But…" Momo looked down. "He wasn't himself. He was just acting weird, you know what I mean?"

"Like I said, the man is sick. If he was out of character, maybe it's because he's on medicaion. Maybe we woke him up. The point is, it's nothing to worry about."

"Ok, if you say so…"

Ichigo kept going, jogging down the street, passing Soul Reapers left and right.

"Hey! Ichigo!" Renji came his way, waving at him. "What are you doing here? Is Rukia with you?"

"No, I'm going back right now. I just came here to see someone."

"Oh." Renji looked disappointed. "Well, that's alright. I was just surprised to see you here. That's all. No big deal. If you're in a hurry, I'll let you go."

"Ok, thanks." Ichigo started to leave when he felt Renji's hand close around his wrist. Held back, Ichigo turned around. Renji was facing the other way, grabbing his arm without looking. "Uh… I thought you said you were gonna let me go. This is kind of ironic, don't you think?"

Renji didn't say anything.

"Renji?"

He didn't move.

"Renji!"

He jumped and turned around. "What?"

"Let go of me."

"Huh?"

"Let go." Ichigo gestured down with his eyes.

Renji looked down and saw his hand wrapped around Ichigo's. "Oh. Sorry." Even seeing this, he didn't relax his grip.

"Let go already."

Renji frowned. His hand wasn't moving.

"Renji."

With great effort, Renji released his hand and backed away. "Sorry about that."

"What did you do that for?"

He looked down at his hand. "I don't know. Reflex, I guess." He looked up again. "Didn't you have somewhere to be?"

Ichigo turned around and continued on his way.

Renji looked down at his hand again. That was strange. It was as if he couldn't control his hand. He wanted to let go, but his hand wouldn't obey. "That was weird." Why did he grab Ichigo like that? It was as if he didn't want him to leave.

* * *

When Ichigo returned, it was the middle of the night and everyone was in bed. Well, almost everyone. Victor was in his study and Cedric was in the dining room. Seeing Ichigo in the back yard, he opened the sliding door and let him in.

"Where were you?"

"Sorry. I went to the Soul Society to check on something."

"Linnette thought you had run off."

"Oh. I didn't mean to worry her."

"It's fine. She's in bed now. Try to stay put for a little while, alright?"

He nodded and walked towards the den. Even if it was daytime in the Soul Society, Ichigo's body knew it was night and needed to rest. This time difference was difficult to work with.

Cedric followed him in the dark to make sure he didn't fall or run into anything. The kitchen was free of clutter but it was the island in the middle he was worried about. Ichigo passed it by without a problem, using his hands to feel his way through the dark. Halfway to the den, he stopped. Cedric stopped as well. Ichigo wasn't moving. Did he see something on the floor?

"Ichigo?" he whispered.

He was unresponsive.

"Ichigo?" Cedric put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "Ichigo?"

He jumped and turned his head. "Huh?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." He brushed Cedric's hand off his shoulder. "Why?"

"You stopped walking."

"Only for a second." Ichigo started walking again.

It was longer than a second. Much longer. Had Ichigo spaced out or something? Was he only saying that to cover it up or did he not realize what he had done? Cedric followed him to the den, showing him to the couch. Ichigo climbed under the covers and placed his head down on the pillow provided for him. Ichigo looked up, seeing Cedric watching him in the dark.

"Good night." Ichigo's tone sounded like an order to get Cedric to leave.

Cedric nodded his head and left the room.

* * *

Something strange is going on here.

Please review ^-^


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

The following day was filled with fun and excitement. At least from Linnette's perspective.

It was a cloudy day, the sky a thick layer of grey, making it difficult to tell where the buildings in the distance ended. To the residence of New York, it was common to see the sky a grayish color. Rangiku had gone on part two of her shopping spree in the City with Victor again. They were back by the afternoon. Yumichika didn't come along this time. He chose to stay behind and be with Ikkaku in the yard. Rukia offered to help in the kitchen when Victor returned home to make a late lunch. Cedric was in the yard with Linnette and Ichigo. Per her request, they were playing a game of tag. Cedric playfully patted her on the shoulder and dashed away expecting her to follow. Knowing how fast he was, she ran after Ichigo instead. Ichigo wasn't into the game at first but after a few minutes started to run around the yard laughing with her.

She ran behind Ichigo with her arms outstretched. "I got you! I got you!"

He veered to the left. "No, you don't!"

She tried to tackle him but he moved away before her hands could touch him. Knowing how hard it was to run in sandals, Linnette removed her shoes and left them behind in the grass, giving chase in her bare feet.

"Linnette…" Cedric sighed from across the yard. "Put your shoes back on."

"It's ok! I can run faster this way!" She ran after Ichigo, trying to tag him. In a flash, Cedric appeared beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and holding her sideways. She screamed out in joyous surprise.

As Cedric playfully spun her around he said again, "Put your shoes back on."

"No!"

"Get them on your feet."

"I'll trip in them! No!" she laughed.

Cedric stopped spinning her, bent down and picked up one of her sandals and started to slip it back onto her foot. "There we go."

She pushed against his arm, trying to straighten her body, not to get away. "Cedric! No!" She was still laughing.

Once both sandals were back on her feet, he let her go. "There."

She patted his stomach and started to run off. "I tagged you!"

He looked down at his stomach and grinned. "That was a trick, wasn't it?"

"No. I really don't want to wear these." She kicked them off again. "But it worked." She started to run off again towards Ichigo. "Run, Ichigo! Don't let him tag you!"

Cedric gave them a head start, then flashed away and reappeared in front of them, cutting them off.

"That's not fair," said Ichigo. "You've got super speed."

Cedric poked Ichigo in the forehead. "Fine. Then I'll slow down so you can tag me back."

Linnette ran from Ichigo, knowing that he was 'it' now. "Run, Cedric!"

Ichigo chased after Linnette. As soon as he touched her back, he pivoted and ran back the way he came. Linnette chased him down, running as fast as her bare feet would take her. She grabbed Ichigo's shirt and tagged him with her other hand and ran off again, laughing. Ichigo spun and tried to tag her back only to miss.

Seeing the two playing with each other, Cedric moved towards the house to check on things inside. He stepped over the men on the porch watching the two play. They remarked how childish Ichigo was when around Linnette. Most of the time, he wouldn't do certain things on account of his dignity. But seeing him run around the yard playing tag and laughing with her made them both think that he had lost what dignity he had. No matter how many times Linnette asked them, they refused to play with her. No matter the game.

Something wet hit Yumichik'a cheek. Then his hand. He looked up at the grey sky. A drop of water ran down Ikkaku's bald head and he looked up. The pitter-patter of rain was bouncing off the wooden porch. It was starting to fall harder. A downpour was coming. The two stood up and retreated inside before they were soaked.

Ichigo didn't notice the rain until it started pouring. He stopped and looked at the sky. Within seconds, his face was drenched. "It's raining. We should go in."

Linnette stood in the rain unfazed. As a matter of fact, she looked quite happy about it. Her blue and green dress was already soaked and sticking to her thin body. She spread her arms out and faced the sky, letting it pour down on her. She welcomed the rain.

"We should go in," Ichigo repeated, just as soaked as she was.

"Are you kidding? This is perfect. I like playing in the rain. It's not too cold out and it's not thundering. It's the perfect chance."

Ichigo looked back towards the house. Victor was looking out the window at them. Not wanting him to be angry that he let her stay in the rain, Ichigo tried to coax her inside. "Come on, let's go." He reached for her hand. "I'll race you."

At the promise of a new game, Linnette agreed. "Ok, but I go first!" She started running toward the house.

"That's not a fair race!" Ichigo chased after her. The two were side by side. Ichigo could run faster than her, but he wanted to keep up with her pace incase she fell and got hurt. Their footsteps splashed in the wet grass as they ran. Holding hands, they reached the house and climbed the wet wooden steps and onto the porch.

Linnette stood by the door completely soaked from head to toe. She didn't mind at all. She loved it. "That was great!" she beamed. "It's great to spin in and slap the rain drops with your hand. It's fun to play in the puddles, too. Have you ever done that?"

Before he could answer, someone reached out with a towel and pulled Linnette inside. Ichigo moved closer to the door. The porch didn't have a roof so he had to stand as close as he could to the house to avoid getting rained on any further. Victor had thrown a towel over Linnette's head and was rubbing her down with both hands. "Gotcha!"

Cedric came with a second towel, handing it to Ichigo. "She's dripping on the floor, Victor."

"Easily cleaned." The dining room carpet was very thin. Linnette's wet body had already formed a dark circle beneath her and made a squishing sound when she moved her feet. Victor moved the towel down her body, letting her head poke out. "Sweetie, you're sopping wet."

"I know. I was playing in the rain."

"Honey…"

"Victor…" she mocked his weary tone.

Chuckling, Victor stood up. "You'll have to change clothes. Cedric, take her to her room, please. I'll handle this."

Cedric scooped Linnette into his arms and carried her through the crowd of curious Soul Reapers and up the stairs.

Ichigo removed his wet shirt and tossed it onto the railing. He didn't want to add to the puddle on the floor. It was already soaked so the rain wasn't going to damage it any further than it already was. He rubbed the warm towel against his bare skin, drying himself. "I tried to get her to come in, but she was stubborn. She wanted to play. So I raced her inside."

"Good strategy." Victor stood in front of Ichigo. "You do have spare clothes, do you not?"

Ichigo frowned. "No. We left in such a hurry and I wasn't told anything so…" He never had a chance to pack anything. This was his only outfit.

Victor nodded and stepped aside. "You can get some new outfits in the city later. We'll get you something to wear in the meantime. Dry off in the bathroom. I'll find you something."

"Thanks." Ichigo left his wet shoes by the door and walked through the house to the stairs.

He closed the bathroom door and started to remove his wet pants tossing them into the bathtub. He used the towel to dry the rest of his body and waited. If only he was given a little more warning, he could have at least packed a spare outfit. He was wearing the same thing for days. Maybe the rain would help.

There was a knock and Ichigo opened the door ajar. "Yeah?"

Victor handed him something. "This is all we have that's close to your size."

Ichigo looked down at the white suit in Victor's hand. "Are you kidding me?"

"Cedric's too large and you cannot wear Linnette's clothing. The only other person in the house with a wardrobe is Yumichika and you'll never fit into those either… not that he'd let you in the first place. This is the only other option unless we go shopping."

"Fine. Gimme that." Ichigo snatched the clothes out of his hand and closed the door. He unfolded the white suit with a grimace. "Crap…" He couldn't remember the last time he put on a suit. The last thing he wanted was to look like Victor's twin. There was nothing he could do.

Ichigo put on the light blue shirt, white pants and matching jacket, leaving it unbuttoned. Ichigo and Victor were roughly the same size. Even the pants fit him without the need for a belt. He opened the bathroom door and peered out into the hall. Everyone was still downstairs. He would have to face them at some point. Dreading what was bound to come, Ichigo slowly walked down the stairs onto the first level. Everyone was gathered in the kitchen, even Linnette now dressed in a pink skirt and blue T-shirt with a heart on the front. Victor looked up when Ichigo walked further into the kitchen.

"Good. Its fits."

That statement caused everyone to turn around. Ichigo shut his eyes in horror. The comments were sure to come any moment now.

"Jeez, Ichigo…" Ikkaku walked in a complete circle around him, looking him over. "I knew that guy was going to rub off on you, but this…"

"Shut up."

Yumichika started laughing. "Well… That's one way to get in his pants."

"Shut up!"

"I think he looks nice," said Rangiku. "They're like twins now. But where's the tie?"

"I didn't want it." Ichigo kept his eyes down. "I'm only dressed this way so I wouldn't be naked."

Linnette balanced herself on the edge of the sink, looking out into the yard. "Victor! The rain's lighting up."

"Letting up," he corrected. "It's letting up, sweetie. And it is, indeed. Good observation." The rain had turned into a light drizzle, hardly making a sound at all. Victor bent down so that his body formed over hers, looking out the window as well. "Aren't your sandals still in the yard? They're bound to be ruined by now."

"It's ok. They were cheap flip-flops. I have another pair."

"I know, but still…"

"They'll dry."

"But they'll make that squishing sound. They soak up water like sponges." Victor turned away from the window and looked at Ichigo. "Since the rain is letting up, would you like to find some clothes now?"

"I'm not going out looking like this." Ichigo didn't want to be seen in a matching suit with Victor. "Besides, I hadn't planned on going shopping."

"Alright." Victor turned. "Cedric."

"I'm on it." Without having to be told, Cedric understood what Victor wanted and went into the dining room and then onto the porch. He picked up Ichigo's wet shirt and wrung it out. He turned the collar inside-out and the brought the shirt inside. "I'll put it in the wash."

"My pants are in the tub upstairs," Ichigo told him as he passed. "Thanks for washing them but…" He would only have one outfit still. It would take a while for it to dry which meant they wouldn't be able to get him any extra clothing until the evening or tomorrow. He would have to stay in the suit anyway."

When Cedric came back down the stairs, he walked to the front door. "Since you don't want to travel, I'll go."

"Huh?"

"I'll get you something to wear."

Ichigo didn't know how to answer. "Uh… but…"

"You need an outfit. I know your size. I read the tag."

So that was what he was doing.

Cedric looked at his counterpart. "You will stay with them?"

"Of course. You go and hurry back." After Cedric had left, Victor looked at the gathered Soul Reapers. "Now… have we reached a decision for dinner?"

The debate resumed and everyone started to argue over what to eat.

"You say you're fine with anything, Ikkaku, but when we make a suggestion, you turn it down."

"Sorry for thinking they would have something decent in this place."

"We can ask them to cook us something."

"Then why don't they?"

"As the hosts, it's their job to feed us."

"But that involves reaching a decision!"

Tired of the constant arguments, Victor made the decision for them. "Why don't we let Linnette decide?"

"Typical," muttered Ikkaku. "Of course he would suggest that."

"I think it's a good idea," Rukia said louder than necessary, shooting a look at Ikkaku. "Let her pick."

Victor bent down, putting an arm around Linnette's slender shoulders. "So, what would you like, sweetie?"

"Um…" She looked around at all the people in the room. With everyone staying here like this, it was a lot like a slumber party. If it was a party then… "I know! Why don't we order pizza? They'll deliver it to the door so we don't have to go out."

"I think that's a great idea," said Victor.

Ikkaku and Yumichika tilted their heads to the side at once. "What's pizza?"

"You've never had it?" Linnette looked shocked. "Don't they have it in the Soul Society?"

"What is it?" Yumichika repeated.

"Pizza. It's, um…" Linnette tried to think of a way to describe it. "Well, it's usually round. Sometimes it's square. It's about this big…" she held up her hands, showing them the size. "And, um… it's dough with sauce and cheese and whatever else you want to put on it."

"Sounds gross," said Yumichika, wrinkling his nose.

"No, it's really good."

Rangiku turned to the boys. "You know, when we were out shopping, I saw signs for it on just about every block. In big flashing lights. I've never had it either, but with so much of it around and all those long lines, it must be good. We should get it to try. I'm interested."

"Great!" Linnette was very excited now that she had someone on board with the idea. "What kind do you want?"

"There are different kinds?"

"Sure. There's… Um…" Victor handed her a menu from the shelf by the phone which held over 30 different kinds of pizza in its pages. "Oh. Here. They're all in here!"

Rangiku took it from her hands and opened the menu. "I can't read it. Good thing it has pictures."

"Linnette why don't you help them look since you can read in English? I'll write down what everyone wants and order it."

"Ok." She stood besides Rangiku, looking at the pictures. "This part has all the ones with meat on them. These are the super ones over here. This one has no meat on it. The topping list is over here on this side."

"What's this part?" Rangiku asked, pointing.

"Um. That's the…" She moved closer to the paper in Rangiku's hand. "It's veg… veggi-tar,-ron… No, wait. It's… veg…"

"Vegetarian," Victor said, knowing what she was trying to pronounce.

"Thanks. So this doesn't have meat or fish. Just veggies."

"Ah…" Rangiku pointed at something. "This looks interesting. What is this?"

"That's pizza with pineapple on it."

"Oh, so you can put fruit on it, too? That's interesting."

"I like this kind." Linnette pointed. "It's mushroom and sausage. It's really good."

Yumichika leaned over, curious. He looked over Linnette's head at the menu. "These pictures… This is what pizza is? It looks like someone threw up on a plate."

Rangiku stomped on his foot. "Shut up. I think these look neat. I want one. Hey, Linnette, can you pick what you want on it instead on picking one of these ones?"

"Sure you can. You can also pick one of these over here. They're supreme pizzas. They put everything on them."

"Everything?"

"Yeah. And there's these over here. And those…"

"Mm! They all look good. How can I pick?"

Soon everyone was arguing over what to get. Rukia already picked hers, having eaten pizza before with Ichigo. Ichigo picked out what he wanted within a minute. He had never eaten New York pizza before. They had different choices than they had in Japan. The others were still undecided. Victor got them to hurry with a decision by informing them that if they didn't pick within the next two minutes, they would get nothing. When all the orders were tallied, Victor went over to the phone and dialed the number. Linnette was bouncing beside the phone, making sure he ordered everything correctly. She pointed at the paper in his hands, asking him if he remembered certain ones on the list. Victor didn't lose his concentration even with her poking and chattering. He hung up the phone.

"It will be here in half an hour."

Linnette jumped up and down. It was always exciting to have food delivered to the house.

"And they know where to take it?" Rangiku asked. "They know where you live?"

"If you give them the address, yes."

"How convenient. I wish we had that in the Soul Society."

Linnette tugged on Victor's sleeve. "How long now? Is it time yet?"

"You still have 29 minutes, sweetie. Be patient."

"What do we do in the meantime?" she asked.

"We could start setting the table."

"Ok!" She ran into the kitchen and started to climb onto the counter to reach the plates in the cupboard. Victor went to help her.

Minutes passed and Linnette kept looking towards the front door. She was very excited. Victor tried to keep her entertained by making a game out of setting the table. They had set it three different times. One time, he had Linnette do it with her eyes closed. She did fairly well. He was there to make sure she didn't break anything.

The front door began to open. Linnette ran to see if it was the pizza. It turned out to be Cedric with Ichigo's new clothes.

"That was fast."

Cedric handed him the bag. "It helps when you don't take the car into the city. Here you go. They should fit."

Ichigo took the bag from him and went up to the bathroom to change. Cedric managed to get him different pairs of everything and different styles. He pulled out a pair of jeans with holes in the knees. He had a pair like this back home. He pulled out a dark blue T-shirt with a tiger on the chest. Ichigo hurriedly shed the suit he was wearing and happily put on his new outfit. They were just his size. They fit perfectly.

Just as he finished dressing, the doorbell rang and he could hear Linnette yell 'pizza!' from downstairs. He left the bathroom and went downstairs. Victor was talking to the man in the doorway holding a large stack of pizza boxes, the bags he used to carry them draped over his arm. Linnette was jumping at Victor's side, holding onto the back of his jacket with both hands. He was counting money. Linnette spun on her heels, holding onto Victor's jacket, waiting. When everything was paid for, Victor took the stack of boxes from the young man and closed the door.

"I want to carry them! Can I carry them? I want to carry them, please?"

"Tell you what, you take half, ok?" Victor handed her the top of the stack and let her carry them over to the kitchen. She set them down on the island in the middle of the room. Then she went back to Victor, wanting to carry the rest. "Hold on, hold on. I want to carry some, too, honey."

"I can do it. Did you see how good I did with those?"

"Why don't you open the ones you put over there and see whose are whose?"

"Oh, yeah!" She ran back to the kitchen and started opening boxes, releasing a puff of steam trapped inside the cardboard. "Victor, which one is mine? Do you have it?"

Yumichika leaned over, sniffing the air. "It smells good." He looked at the open box on the counter. "So that's what it looks like?"

Ikkaku wandered over with him, looking at the open box. "This is the strangest pie I've ever seen. I mean, you called it a pizza pie, right? It's flat and the filling is on top."

"And I thought Rangiku complained a lot," Rukia muttered to herself.

The tallest woman in the room reached over and grabbed the top box. "I believe this one is mine. Mm! Smells good!"

Linnette opened box after box, pushing them off to one side, unable to find hers. "Is that one mine?" she asked Victor who set the boxes in his hand down on the table, the counter too crowded. She started to open those boxes as well, looking for hers. "Did they forget it?"

"I don't think so. We counted them off. The order was correct." He helped her look, opening the box at his side. "Is this it?"

"Yes!" She grabbed the whole box, lifting it up to her face and inhaling the aroma. "Mmm! I love how good it smells. Like baked bread! That's the best!"

"Which explains why you love going into the bakery all the time." Victor took the box from her and set it back on the table. "Go get your plate, ok?"

Ichigo stood back, watching everyone from a safe distance. People were talking and arguing, picking up different slices, moving this way and that. No one had made it into the dining yet. Rangiku took her first bite of pizza and exclaimed, "Oh, wow! It's delicious!" She shoved her slice into Ikkaku's face. "Try some!"

"Get it out of my face!" He grabbed a slice from his box. "I got my own!"

Yumichika held his slice awkwardly in one hand. "It's so greasy. My hands are getting all oily."

"That's what napkins are for."

He lifted the pizza to his mouth and took a small bite from the front. The melted cheese stretched without breaking, steam trapped from underneath rising into the air. Yumichika pulled the cheese into his mouth with his tongue and chewed. "Hey, it is good. What a surprise." He took a larger bite. And then another.

Ikkaku started to pick up a slice from his box, lifting it up to his mouth like everyone else. Only he was eating it from the side, letting the toppings slide off and falling into the box. He finished that slice and grabbed another, rolling it up like a cannoli and eating it that way. Seeing Ikkaku do this, Yumichika gave it a try. He couldn't tell if this made it less messy or not.

Victor moved around the room, serving people drinks. Now that everyone was eating, and therefore quieter, Ichigo walked over to the only untouched pizza box and helped himself. The pizza here was a lot greasier than he was used to. But it was good. Linnette had already finished her third slice. "What kind did you get?" she asked him.

"One of the supreme ones." He stuffed the remains of his slice into his mouth. Even with so many toppings, the pizza was still pretty thin.

The doorbell rang and everyone looked up.

"Who's that? Did they forget something? Didn't everyone get their pizza?"

Victor walked over to the door, answering it.

Cedric was home, everyone had a pizza, everyone was accounted for. Who could be at the door?

The wooden door swung open. Victor stood with his back to everyone. No one was able to see past him. Then Victor stepped aside, showing the guests in. In walked two Soul Reapers in Gigais.

"Brother?!" Rukia stood up, wide-eyed.

Byakuya entered the house along with a small Soul Reaper, clinging to a backpack with shaking hands.

"Hanataro?"

Dinner was cut short due to these new guests. Rangiku stood straight up, trying to be seen as professional. "Captain Kuchiki… What are you doing here?"

"I was asked to join you on this mission. So was he." Byakuya gestured to the boy at his side. "They felt you needed a Captain on an assignment like this. And someone in the medical field should something happen."

"Hanataro!" Linnette jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm so happy to see you! It's been so long! Are you ok? How have you been?"

"I've been breathing easier…" Hanataro gasped. "You're holding me too tight, miss Linnette…"

"Sorry."

Ichigo looked at Byakuya. "Why are you here?"

"We were ordered to back you up. I explained that already."

"No, you didn't. You didn't explain anything. You just came in here and said that you're gonna be here, too. I want to know why."

"It doesn't concern you."

"The hell it-"

"Why are you here," asked Ikkaku. "Is there a problem? Are we being reassigned?"

"No," Byakuya said. "The Captains had a brief meeting and decided that it would be beneficial to have a Captain and medic along for such an assignment. A Lieutenant doesn't have the authority or power of a Captain and I was free. So I came to assist."

"That's a better explaination than before, I guess…" Ichigo said out the corner of his mouth.

Rukia gestured to the dining room. "Perhaps we should sit down and discuss this. There must be a lot of information to…"

"There's nothing to discuss," said Byakuya. "The meeting concluded that having a team without a Captain present in the World of the Living, especially so far away from the usual location, would be foolish. On such a mission, there must be someone with authority and strength to lead the team. Also, we would need someone with medical skills should something happen. In a large group like this with humans involved in a foreign location, we would have need of someone in that field. Which is why Hanataro Yamada is with me. We were asked to assist. The assignment is the same. There is nothing more to tell."

Rukia knew that they wouldn't send reinforcments if there wasn't a reason for it. But she trusted her brother so there was no reason for her to suspect anything. Besides, he had good reasons. Everything was sound. Surely if there was more to it than he was letting on, he would have mentioned it. Why would he hide anything? He would only lie if he had good reason.

Linnette's giggling brought their attention back to her. Curious about the strange smell, Hanataro had asked her what were in all the cardboard boxes on the table and counter. Willing to enlighten him, she decided to share her pizza with him. She was currently feeding him a slice from her hand since he was too nervous to touch the strange substance. He was having trouble getting the melted cheese into his mouth. He ended up dragging the whole top of the slice, toppings and all, into his mouth. He was having trouble chewing the overwhelming amount of cheese in his mouth. It was one big cheese wad. Linnette laughed at his facial expressions and told him to eat the rest, saying how the part under the layer of cheese was the best.

Victor and Cedric were watching her feed Hanataro anxiously. There was something about a girl feeding a boy which they found very uncomfortable. Ichigo could see it on their faces.

To break the focus, Ichigo asked them, "So where are they going to sleep?"

Victor looked away from Linnette. "Uh… We can find some room. I didn't expect so many people."

"Hanataro can stay in my room," Linnette suggested.

"No! No…" Victor and Cedric said in unison. Then they looked away, realizing their frantic tones. "Uh… I think Hanataro would be more comfortable down here with the other boys."

"So he can't stay in my room?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Cedric looked around, trying to change the topic somehow.

Yumichika looked into the den with a frown. "I don't think there will be room for them in there. There's no more room on the couch, as big as it is. It'll be cramped with everyone pressed so tightly together."

"We'll make room."

* * *

The sleeping arrangments were set. The women slept upstairs while the men took the first level. Ichigo, Yumichika, Ikkaku and Hanataro all had the den. Hanataro was small enough to wedge himself into the corner of the couch without bothering the others. Ikkaku stayed on the floor where he liked it. Byakuya had the living room all to himself. There was only one couch which made it difficult for anyone else to stay with him. Byakuya was given a blanket and a pillow to use. He wasn't used to sleeping like this. He normally had a large bed all to himself and four walls sealing him away from prying eyes and passersby. Sleeping in the wide open living room made it difficult for him to find rest. He also wasn't accustomed to sleeping on a couch. He was having a rough time, especially with Ikkaku snoring in the next room.

Another thing that was bothering him was that light in the hallway. He knew staying at the home of someone who didn't sleep would inconvenicance him. Restless, Byakuya got up from the couch and walked into the dining room which linked to the hall. The light was coming from what appeared to be a study. The interior was in good taste, he thought. It had a tranquil quality to it. It was in a secluded part of the house, which must have made it easy to get work done without distractions.

Sitting at the wooden desk in the back of the room was Victor. He had his back turned to the door, engrossed in his work. Byakuya stood silently, watching him. Without turning his body or lifting his head, Victor spoke quietly. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

How long had Victor known he was there? Byakuya couldn't put anything past these people. The limit to their skills were unknown. They may have been without limitation. "I couldn't sleep."

"I see." Victor set something down and pushed his chair out, turning his hips to face him. There were papers in front of him and envelopes. He must have been right in the middle of a project. "Surprised to see I have work?" Victor asked, smiling. "This home will not remain ours if we do not pay for it. When Linnette is in bed and the cleaning is taken care or, this is the time of night when I pay bills."

"Are you financially sound?"

Victor grinned. "We have plenty of money. Do not trouble yourself worrying about us. We have enough to keep us living comfortably for quite some time."

Byakuya didn't answer him. He wasn't a very talkative person. He looked around the small room. There were three bookcases against the walls. They were packed. Byakuya moved closer to one of the shelves, looking at the book spines. There were a few psychology books. History books and volumes of famous literature. Byakuya was a little surprised as well as pleased. These people had good taste. "Who do these belong to?" he asked.

"Those are mine. Cedric reads a few of them as well." Victor got out of his chair. "You need something to do when you have all the time in the world on your hands."

"You can accomplish a lot when you don't sleep."

Victor chuckled. "You're right about that. But one does wonder what it's like. Having never experienced it, I have no idea what to expect. It's my understanding that it doesn't hurt. The experience is supposed to be enjoyable."

Byakuya nodded. "Yes, it is. You recover energy and heal." He pulled a book from the shelf and opened it. The binding was lose, indicating that it had been used often.

Victor moved to where Byakuya was standing. "Most of those books are printed in English. There are some in Japanese in the shelf below if it's easier."

These men had a wide selection to choose from. Byakuya was happy to find so many books in one place and such a veriety. If these men had no need for sleep, it was no wonder they had so much reading material. Byakuya looked at some more books on another shelf. They were well organized and maintained. It appeared that someone was a fan of the arts. There were books on theater and poetry. Byakuya put the book in his hand back on the shelf. That's when another caught his eye. A book on calligraphy. Byakuya pulled it from between two large books and opened it. Beautiful calligraphy, in all its forms. Examples, how-to and so much more. Byakuya began skimming the pages.

It was then that Victor began to speak again. His voice was quiet to not wake the others down the hall. "As long as you're here, I would like to take this opportunity to speak with you… Byakuya."

Hearing the hesitation before speaking his name, Byakuya stopped tuning pages and listened.

"Would you prefere if I call you Captain Kuchiki?" Victor asked.

Byakuya didn't say anything.

"You are a nobel, I understand. A nobel and a Captain. Your knowledge and skills know no bounds. You must be a very important person where you come from. All that money to your name, family history. Skills with a blade and knowledge of the battlefield. And your taste in literature…" Victor peered over at the book in his hand. "I want you to feel comfortable in our home. As short notice as this is, I hope you are not disappointed. I'm sure you're not used to being in a place without servents to tend to you. I will do my best. But bear in mind that I am not here to serve you. I am here to serve Linnette."

Byakuya didn't look up from the book. He wasn't reading. He was listening. To more than what was being said. It was how he said it. There was something foreboding about his voice. Victor was hinting at something.

"And as the caretaker and gaurdian of Linnette, I would like to be informed of any danger that may be near. If there is the slightest chance that she will be harmed in any way, I have the right to know. With my family in my own house. So if there is something you are not telling me, then please, share it with me now that no one is around. If there is something you're not telling me and I find out about it…" Victor had moved slightly closer. "Remember that while you have your mission and I respect that, you must also respect that I have a mission as well. It is to protect Linnette and keep her safe at all cost."

Byakuya didn't move. Victor didn't take another step, but it felt as if he were closing in on him. Victor knew something, no matter how Byakuya tried to disguise it. Feeling his unyielding stare, Byakuya asked, "What would make you say such an odd thing to me?"

"Odd?" Victor didn't try to hide the amusment in his voice. "What's odd is how vague you are about this mission. Normally wouldn't a mission such as this have a lot more details than you are giving us?"

Byakuya slowly started to look up from the pages. Once he saw Victor's eyes, he knew there was no hiding anything from him. He already knew.

"Here's why I think there's more to this than you're letting on." Victor folded his arms and kept his voice the same tone it had been all this time. Quiet and direct. "First off, your assignment takes you here, all the way on the other side of the world. How strange. You claim that it is because of a Hollow issue. Let me tell you the two main problems I have with that explaination." Victor held up his fingers, counting off the reasons. "One, Linnette has the power to control Hollows. Surely you know this and have known it for some time. Hollows are never an issue. Aside from her ability to control them, we possess the power to annihilate Hollows quite easily. So I fail to see why you would have to come all the way here to help with a Hollow problem when we're more than capable of handling it ourselves. Which brings me to my second observation. Two, we haven't seen a single Hollow during this time. If there was a Hollow issue, then wouldn't we have seen one by now? We haven't seen or sensed anything."

This didn't surprise Byakuya. From the first time they met, he knew Victor was very perceptive. It made him wonder how advanced these men were. If he was able to figure out that much, what else did he know?

"I've noticed something else. Despite there being a stunning lack of Hollows, they saw fit to send reinforcements to our location. A Captain and a medic. Which leads me to believe that the Soul Society knows that the situation is about to get much worse. It's escalated." Victor was no longer wearing a smile or even a hint of one on his face. He looked deadly serious. "We haven't noticed a thing. Yet, you're here. Not only that, but you also mentioned that there was a Captains' meeting which led to you being sent here. This tells me that the Captains know something. Judging from everyone's lack of information, you are the only one present who knows anything at all. So this is something only Captains are aware of."

This didn't surprise Byakuya either. With a little thought, anyone could have figured that out.

"So you are hiding something after all. And the fact that you're hiding it from the others must mean that you weren't permitted to tell them. That's the only reason why you would keep it a secret from everyone. Including your sister, Rukia. She trusts you, so I hope that by you keeping this quiet, she will not be put in danger. Her not knowing is protection, correct?"

The hairs on the back of Byakuya's neck started to stand on end. He looked back into Victor's serious eyes.

"I know you must have your reasons for not mentioning anything to the others. But this is my home and my family. If they are being put in danger, I have a right to know." Victor took one step closer. It wasn't intimidating, it was comforting. "Know that I will respect your mission by not mentioning anything to them. But since I know so much already, I'm slowly putting things together. If you do not want me to come to the wrong conclusion or end up telling someone something I wasn't supposed to, then here's your chance to tell me what you know. What you tell me in this room is confidential. I won't say anything. But you must trust me. I know so little about you compared to the others. If I am going to trust you, you have to show me a sign of good faith."

If he didn't say anything, Victor could come to the wrong conclusion. He had the authority to kick them out of he felt that the family was in danger. He didn't know what he wasn't supposed to say unless Byakuya told him. But he wasn't permitted to tell any of the Soul Reapers. There may have been a loophole which allowed Byakuya to tell Victor.

After weighing the pros and cons, Byakuya closed the book in his hand. Victor stood there, waiting. "There was Hollow activity involved. Very little. But not the way you would think. At first no one was sure of what it was. It started in Karakura Town. It appeared to be a glitch. Then some humans began to act strangely. The effects only lasted for a short time. It happened to those close to Ichigo Kurosaki."

"So Ichigo is involved."

Byakuya nodded and continued. "We decided to question him to see if he noticed a change in anyone without letting on. We wanted to know if he was directly involved or if this was an outside source. He told us nothing of value. He was unaware of anything amiss. Things started to escalate after that. Despite him reporting no Hollow activity, the same glitches kept appearing in his area. So we decided to remove him from the area and see if there was any improvement."

"And?"

"Things started to calm down after a few hours. But we're still having issues." Byakuya decided to tell him. "The reason we sent him here on this false mission was to see if there would be any improvement. The glitches are still happening. We aren't sure what's going to happen so we made sure to send him here with Soul Reapers. Rukia knew him best and they work well together so she was sent. We needed someone with power and authority to govern them. Captain Hitsugaya wasn't available to help, so we sent his Lieutenant. We weren't sure if sending a Captain would be too much or not. Which is why we held off on sending one. In case a battle ensued, we sent those who could fight. And you were right, we did send Hanataro because he is a medic and we did expect something to happen since the situation isn't improving."

"And the reason he came here and not to the Soul Society?"

"Two reasons. First off, if he was permitted to stay in the Soul Society, we would need to come up with an excuse since Ichigo seems to be unaware of anything. He would catch on. So we sent him here on a false mission. We also sent the others to keep an eye on him should something happen. Since we have so little to go on as of now, there's no telling what these glitches are that keep showing up wherever he goes. Since everyone thinks this is a mission, they'll keep an eye out. If something strange happens, then they won't think anything of it. We also wanted them to remain in the dark about this because their knowing could jeopardize the mission. If they think there's something wrong with Ichigo, they'll keep their distance from him and tip him off. We want everything to be as normal as possible. Besides, we aren't sure if it's him or not since it's still happening from time to time in areas he's no longer inhabiting."

"And the second reason?"

Byakuya hoped Victor wouldn't react to what he was about to say. "Because Linnette is here."

Victor's face didn't change.

"It appeared to be Hollow related at some point. If that were the case, we needed to make use of her powers to handle the situation. If Hollows are involved, we need to make sure she's nearby to help calm the situation."

Victor nodded slowly. "Is that it?"

"I was told to keep this quiet." Byakuya looked down. "There were reports of some Soul Reapers acting strangely as well. It was mentioned mostly in small-talk situations. No one thinks anything of it. The behavior isn't violent. But if we were to let word get out of what the Captains are aware of, it could cause a panic. We don't want to start something. This may be nothing at all and only coincidental. We don't want people to get paranoid. We especially don't want anyone tipping Ichigo off by everyone walking on eggshells around him. Which is why we were told not to tell anyone. Not even our Lieutenants. This is only known between Captains."

Victor nodded again. "This is all you can tell me?"

He nodded. "Yes. We have so little to go on anyway. Until we have more information, there's nothing else." Byakuya looked Victor in the eye again. "Can I trust you not to speak of this?"

Victor's smile returned and he moved towards the bookshelf, pulling out a red book. "I understand that you are taking a risk telling me this. I appreciate that. You trust me and I'll trust you. You told me the truth about what's going on, so I won't tell anyone about what was said here tonight. Consider it uneventful. Nothing happened this evening."

Byakuya nodded. "Thank you." He wasn't sure if he could trust this man or not, but he had no reason to doubt. He fought for them in the past. The least he could do was give him the benefit of the doubt. He was looking out for his family after all.

Victor handed him the red book. "This is a collection of historic nobles in different countries from different centuries. I thought it might interest you."

Byakuya slipped the book offered to him under the one already in his hand. "I'll look at it."

Victor stepped aside, pointing Byakuya out the door. He left the office, feeling Victor following at his heels, making him walk forward to avoid him. When they reached the kitchen, Victor went one way and Byakuya another. "It's late. You should rest." Victor opened a cabinet. "Shall I make you something hot to drink?"

This Byakuya was used to. Someone serving him. "Sure."

Victor took out a mug and set it down. "Tea? Hot milk?"

"Milk, please."

"Certainly." Victor closed the cabinet and opened the fridge. "It'll just take a minute. Sit in the meantime if you like."

Byakuya went back to his couch and sat down, turning on a lamp over his right shoulder. He sat close to the arm of the couch, using it to elevate the book in his lap. He started to read. The book was very interesting and printed in a language he could understand. Six pages in, Victor returned with the mug and handed it to him. "Thank you." Byakuya closed the book and held the warm mug in his hands. The heat flowed from his palms up his arms and into his chest. The steam danced around the rim of the mug, waving at him. He blew the steam away and took a careful sip. He pressed his lips together, tasting something.

"Is something wrong?"

Byakuya looked up. "It's sweet."

"I added a tiny bit of honey," Victor said. "Is it not to your liking?"

Byakuya licked his lips, tasting the sweetness. It had been so long since he last had honey in his milk. He had honey in his tea when he was sick, but milk… it had been so long, he couldn't remember. "No, this is fine. Thank you."

Victor nodded. "If you need anything else, I'll be in my study for the rest of the evening. Try to get some sleep before sunrise." He turned and left into the next room.

Byakuya looked down at his mug again, taking another sip. It was still very hot. Holding the mug in one hand, Byakuya held the book in the other and read. After a few minutes, the milk had cooled and was able to drink from it freely without burning his tongue. Halfway through the book, he drained his mug, getting the last drop of honey on the bottom and set the mug down on the end table beside the lamp. He licked away the lingering taste of honey from his lips and read on. His eyes started to feel heavy as time went on. It was time to rest. Byakuya closed the book and set it aside, turning off the lamp. He laid down on the couch, covering himself with the blanket. He rested his head on the single pillow given to him and looked around the dark room briefly before closing his eyes. Staying here wouldn't be so bad. It would take some getting used to but at least Victor would try to make his stay as comfortable as possible.

* * *

Now we're starting to find things out.

Byakuya doesn't normally like sweets. I guess he's ok with honey if it's just a little dab.

Please review ^-^


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Though it was early, Rukia decided that this was her best chance to use the bathroom before Rangiku got in there. She always took so long. Between her and Yumichika, it was hard to know who was worse. Rukia only spent a half hour in the bathroom getting showered and dressed and anything else she needed to do. Rangiku was known to spend triple that time doing the same thing. It was a cloudy, grey day so Rukia wasn't surprised by how dark it still was outside. She wandered downstairs to see who else was up.

At the base of the stairs she stopped. Byakuya was still sleeping on the couch. She didn't want to disturb him so she debated whether or not to return to her room. She saw Victor walk into the kitchen and turn on a light over the stove. He was preparing breakfast. If he was able to move freely about the room then Rukia should be able to do the same.

As the hot pan began to sizzle, Byakuya rolled onto his elbow and looked over the back of the couch. Victor glanced up. "Did I wake you?"

Byakuya shook his head slightly. He had been dozing for the past few minutes, collecting himself.

Victor grabbed the handle of the pan and gave it a quick flick, sending the eggs into the air and back down again, flipping them. Victor took out eight pieces of bread, loading three into a small device, which Byakuya assumed to be a toaster. He started to set the table while everything was cooking.

The smell brought Ikkaku into the kitchen. He sat down at the table without a word to the chef or Captain. A minute later, Yumichika staggered in followed by Hanataro and then Ichigo.

Seeing everyone up and about, Rukia decided to approach the kitchen. Rangiku came down after Rukia took a seat across from Ichigo. The table was getting cramped already. It wasn't large enough to accommodate more than six people comfortably. Victor brought in a chair from the dining room and sat it at the head of the table. As he went to get another, Byakuya told him that he preferred to sit at the island by himself and not to bother. As Victor served everyone, Cedric came downstairs with Linnette, fully dressed in jean shorts and green tank top. This was one of the few times she wasn't wearing a dress. She sat in the chair Victor had placed at the table and waited for her meal.

Soon, everyone was eating and holding different conversations. Linnette was talking with Hanataro most of the time. He sat there, having little to say. He wasn't used to someone being so interested in him like this. When she asked him certain questions, he would give her quick answers or respond by keeping his head down and stuffing his mouth. To other questions, he responded happily, giving her detailed answers, enjoying the conversation. Rangiku kept ordering around Victor, asking for more food and refills on her juice and anything else she wanted. She treated him like her own personal butler. Ikkaku was quiet most of the time, keeping his eyes down on his plate, lifting them only to ask for more food.

Ichigo leaned over to whisper to him. "What's with you?"

"What do you mean?" he whispered back.

"You could stand to be a more gracious guest, you know. Not sit there all miserable."

Ikkaku shoved a sausage into his mouth before answering. "I'm not complaining that much. Not like Rangiku. I am being a gracious guest. I accept their kindness and don't complain about the sleeping arrangements or the food or anything like that."

"I know that." Ichigo gave a quick glance over to Linnette who was still talking with Hanataro. "I mean, have you said anything to her yet? I'm not calling you rude or anything, but… you're acting kind of cold to her in a way."

Ikkaku lowered his fork. "I've told you this before. I don't like kids. I hate young energetic girls. Granted, she's not as bad as my Lieutenant, but can you blame me?" He stabbed his last sausage and brought it to his lips. "There are some people you just don't like, even if they haven't done anything to you. That simple." He took a bite. "I still say that if she didn't have those powers, none of us would even be talking to her right now."

This explained Ikkaku's mood. He didn't like staying at a young girl's house. He may have also been upset from the sleepover a couple days ago. Ichigo wasn't present to know what had happened while he was gone. Ikkaku was out of his element and uncomfortable with staying with Linnette and the two men who could kill him if they found anything wrong with him. Victor and Cedric already made it perfectly clear that they didn't like him themselves. Not with him having so many hurtful things to say about Linnette and their family. The feeling was mutual.

"So…" Rangiku said, pushing her plate aside and into Hanataro's. "Who's up for some sightseeing and a little shopping today? Let's make the best of this dreary day."

"All you've done is shop," said Rukia. "You're going to spend all your money."

"What else is there to do? We haven't seen any Hollows."

Yumichika looked up. "Come to think of it, nothing's happened. Just how long are we supposed to be here? I thought there was a huge Hollow problem here."

"Hollow problem?" Linnette looked up. "There haven't been any Hollows around here for a long, long time. If there were, we could handle it, no problem."

"If it's so easy, then why are we here?" Ikkaku asked gruffly.

Byakuya's gaze traveled to Victor who kept his back to the group, cleaning the counter. So far, he had kept his word about keeping that information a secret.

"It must be a crafty Hollow, then," said Rangiku. "Maybe that's why it's a problem."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Ichigo had stopped moving for some time now. He sat perfectly still, fork frozen to his lips. The only one at the table who noticed was Rukia. She nudged him under the table with her foot. He gave no response. No reaction at all. "Ichigo?" she called his name. Still, he didn't answer. "Ichigo?"

By now, everyone was looking at him. Ichigo wasn't moving.

Worried, Linnette turned her body towards him and called his name. "Ichigo? Are you ok?"

His eyes closed and he dropped his fork. It landed on his plate with a loud clang, bounced off the rim and landed on the floor. His hand remained in the air, frozen.

"Ichigo?" she called again. "Hello?"

The teen's head turned towards her voice and in an instant, his body was in the air. He leapt out of his seat and flew straight at Linnette, tackling her. Her chair tipped over and the two landed on the floor with a crash, Ichigo's arms wrapped around her thin body.

"What the hell?!"

Victor and Cedric stood on either side of them and prepared to throttle Ichigo. If Linnette was hurt, if she had so much as a pinched finger or bumped her head…

"W-wait! Wait!" She held up her hands to stop them from ripping him apart.

The Soul Reapers were out of their seat, watching.

Ichigo nuzzled Linnette with his face, purring. He wouldn't let go of her body. He held her tightly, hugging her lovingly. Linnette tried to get up, but with Ichigo holding her like this and the position she was in, still being seated in the overturned chair, she couldn't. As she moved, Ichigo held her tighter.

Linnette put her hand on his orange hair, trying to get a look at his face. "Ichigo..?"

His gold eyes opened and settled on her pale face. "Guess again, princess."

Her eyes widened. "H- Hollow?!"

He purred nosily into her stomach at his nickname. "Long time no see. I've missed you."

Rukia moved closer to see his black and yellow eyes. "Wait a minute… Is that… Is that Ichigo's Hollow?!"

Ikkaku pushed Yumichika out of his way to get a better look. "I thought he only showed up…" He looked at Linnette. "That explains it. This is her doing. It's gotta be."

Linnette pushed against Ichigo's grip. "B- but I didn't sing or anything. Not even a little. He should only change when I sing and I didn't."

"Then how the hell did he show up?"

Rukia stepped forward and grabbed the back of Ichigo's shirt, pulling him away from Linnette. He wouldn't let go of her hips. "Ichi… er, whoever you are… What are you doing here? How did this happen?"

"How the hell should I know?" he hissed. "Not that I'm complaining or nothing. Freedom's freedom."

"So you don't know how this happened or how you got here?"

"Nope. Not a clue." He swatted Rukia's hand away. "All's I know is I'm here." He started to nuzzle Linnette again. "And now that I am… how's about a song, sweetie? Just a little one will do."

Linnette pushed against his shoulders and he stopped hugging her, sitting back. A look of confusion spread across his face as he saw the un-amused look on Linnette's. She crawled away from him, getting off the fallen chair. "Why would you want me to sing for you? You're already free."

Her song was supposed to set him free. Since Ichigo's Hollow was already in control, it seemed unnecessary for her to sing a song for him. He was already released.

Slowly his smile returned and he chuckled, sitting on the polished kitchen floor. "Oh, princess… It's simple, really." He crawled closer, putting her guardians on edge. "I like it."

"You like it? That's it?"

"That's it?" He laughed. "Sweetie, it's as I've said before… I adore your song. Free or not, I love it. It's like a drug to me. I hear it and everything's ok. It just makes me feel… happy." His grin widened. "Now don't we all want to pursue a little happiness?"

Linnette looked him up and down. This was Ichigo's body. But these weren't his mannerisms. The expression on his face was all wrong. His eyes were a different color and his smile was chilling. But he spoke with warm sincerity. He truly enjoyed listening to her song. That hadn't changed. It still had power over him. She was the only one who could tame him.

He moved closer, begging for a song. "Please sing for me? Just once?"

Putting on a tough front, she sat on the floor, her back straight and her shoulders up. "We'll see."

The smile on his face melted. "What? 'We'll see'? What?" He looked like a cat on the verge of getting an unwanted bath. He even recoiled, sinking into his body.

"It depends on your behavior," she told him. "As long as you behave yourself, then I'll do it. Later."

"Later?"

She nodded. "Yup. Since we don't know how or why this happened to Ichigo, I don't want to sing just yet incase it effects anything. I want to see if he changes back. Once that happens, then I'll sing for you."

It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, but for some reason, he couldn't get mad at her. Not her. He humbly obeyed. "As you wish." He sat on the floor like a loyal dog, waiting.

Rangiku frowned. "So wait… so that isn't Ichigo right now? He changed? Or that's another person?" She scratched her head, confused. "So where is Ichigo right now?"

The teen's head turned and tilted to one side, looking at her with a wicked grin. "He's in here, with us."

"Hollow…" Linnette drawled like an annoyed mother.

He turned back, laughing. "I was just having a little fun. Sorry. I had to."

Linnette stood up with Victor's helping hand. Ichigo stood up, following her every move. He didn't want to be too far away from her for a single moment. To everyone's surprise, Cedric stepped forward next saying, "I have something to ask."

Ichigo's head tilted. "Yes?" he drawled teasingly.

"This isn't the first time you've appeared in the last few days, is it?"

Everyone looked at him in shock. Ichigo remained still, a look of indifference on his face.

"The other night during the sleepover… I found Ichigo's body outside Linnette's door. It seemed unnatural to me. He was sleeping on the couch. He had no business going upstairs to a room packed with young girls he doesn't know. He was also curled up outside her door, much like a dog." Cedric eyed Ichigo's face, looking for any change in expression. "Was that you? Did you take over that evening and walk up those stairs to find Linnette?"

He smiled at him in a smug fashion. "Truth? Yes. But I lost control a few minutes in and collapsed outside her door."

The Soul Reapers exchanged looks. This had happened before without their knowledge.

"And after that, the other night in the kitchen… Ichigo was walking to the den and he stopped. He was unresponsive. Was that you again?"

"Maybe." This time he wasn't smiling as widely. "I might have started to take over but never fully did. Who knows?" He gave a flick of his wrist. "Meh. It wouldn't be the first time. Those glitches have happened before when I've never fully taken over."

"How often?"

"How the hell should I know? I don't keep track. Most of the time, I'm not even paying attention." His eyes started to flicker, changing colors. "Oh, crap."

"What's wrong?"

Ichigo's eyes slowly started to lose their luster. He blinked and his eyes changed back to their normal brown color. He looked at Cedric and then at the table, realizing something was amiss. "How'd I get over here?" Ichigo, the real Ichigo, had returned.

Linnette rushed forward and hugged him. "Oh, good, you're back." The hug was over in a matter of seconds. She stood back and gave Ichigo the news. "Your Hollow took over."

"What?" It should have surprised him more than it did. Somehow he figured that being near Linnette would cause that to happen one way or another. "But I don't remember hearing you sing."

"That's because I didn't."

Ichigo looked around at all the concerned faces pointed at him. It took a few seconds before it finally registered in his mind that Linnette's song wasn't used to lure his Hollow out. "Then… how did that happen?"

"We don't know." Rukia was the only one to give him a straight answer. "We have no idea how it happened. Or why."

* * *

The rest of the day went on normally. As normal as possible. Byakuya barricaded himself in Victor's office and spent his time reading the books printed in his language. Yumichika and Rangiku went into the city with Cedric to do yet more shopping and have a meal out and do some sightseeing. Hanataro and Linnette played together for a while until Victor called her upstairs. After that they didn't come down. No one knew what they were up to. Ikkaku and slipped away with a bottle of bourbon and sat on the back porch. Rukia and Ichigo sat in the den watching TV.

The TV was on, but Ichigo wasn't watching it. He was still thinking about what had happened only a couple hours ago. "I can't figure it out."

Rukia turned her head. "Figure what out?"

"Why my Hollow got control. Linnette didn't sing and I didn't feel anything. It's not like how it normally is. It felt different. Like it was easy. No, I mean… I don't know. Something's not right here."

Rukia muted the TV and sighed. "We're trying to figure that out, Ichigo. Even your Hollow didn't know what was going on. But Linnette's song isn't responsible."

Ichigo played with the hole in his jeans, pulling at the threads with his fingers. "But what if her powers developed further or something? I mean, she is still maturing. Puberty and everything. Her abilities might be maturing as well. Getting stronger. What if she no longer needs to sing? What if just being near her does it?"

Rukia shook her head. "I doubt that."

"How can you? It's possible, isn't it?"

"Then why did it take so long? You were here for the past few days and nothing happened."

"But Cedric said it did, remember? You told me what my Hollow said to everyone. He appeared that first night I was here and then went away."

"That doesn't mean anything. I'm sure there's another, better, explanation."

"What if there isn't?" Ichigo asked, pulling apart the fabric and exposing his knee. "What if it's the truth? What if there isn't anything more than that?"

"You can't possibly believe that, Ichigo." Rukia turned her body so she was now facing him and no longer looking forward. "What, you're just going to avoid her from now on? How do you think that would make her feel? 'Gee, sorry, Linnette, but I can no longer be your friend because of a theory I have that involves going Hollow every time I get near you, have a nice life.' Is that how it is?"

"No, but-"

"But what? You can't avoid her when you're living in the same house with her. I'm sure there's a good reason for why this is happening and it has nothing to do with her. It must have something to do with our mission. Maybe that's what's causing it."

Ichigo looked down at the hole in his jeans. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

Rukia unmated the TV and went back to watching her cartoons. "Don't worry about it. It's not the end of the world. It can be solved. Everything can with a little thought and effort. And with Linnette around, your Hollow won't go on a rampage. Not unless she asks him to."

Ichigo looked at the hole in his jeans again, thinking. She was right. His Hollow wouldn't do anything Linnette didn't want. As long as she was here, he had nothing to worry about. But what if his theory was correct and it was because he was near her that his Hollow appeared? What if being around her summoned him? There must have been a way to solve this. Something had to be done.

He got up from the couch and went into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and poured himself some orange juice. He looked at the half eaten cake on top of the fridge and over at the box of assorted donuts on the counter Rangiku had bought for herself. There were four left. Ichigo opened the box and looked inside. Jelly filled, powdered sugar, chocolate and a plain donut were left. Ichigo looked around. Victor was still upstairs and Cedric was gone. There was no one around to stop him. Ichigo opened up a cupboard and started to fill an empty shopping bag with food. Linnette's family always had sweets in the house for her. They wouldn't be missed. Ichigo grabbed a bag of barbeque potato chips from the cupboard, a can of soda, some juice boxes, a candy bar and the plain donut and stuffed them all into the bag.

He made his way into the dining room and out the backdoor. Ikkaku was still nursing the bottle he had taken from Victor's stash, sitting on the porch steps. Ichigo stood behind him and cleared his throat. "Please open the Senkaimon."

Groaning, Ikkaku stood up. "Pain in the ass… This is the last time, ok?"

"Thanks, man." Ichigo did promise to come back with gifts for Veneno. It was really whatever he could find around the house, but he didn't feel like making a special trip into a city he was unfamiliar with and go shopping for him. This was good enough for now.

The Senkaimon opened and Ichigo entered.

* * *

Ichigo expected to see the warm sunlight as he had in the World of the Living, but that was not the case. As he stepped out of the Senkaimon, he was greeted by the night sky and cool air. It was evening here. It was the time difference again. Ichigo wandered off toward the 12th Division to look for Akon. Where he was, Veneno was sure to be. After asking some tired Soul Reapers vacating the building, Ichigo discovered that they were still working in the lab. Many Soul Reapers were working late tonight to keep up with the demands from their Captain and other authority figures.

He found Akon and Veneno in a lab assembling something together. It looked like a robot without a face and only one arm. Akon lifted up his goggles and nodded to Ichigo. "Sorry, we'll be another minute. Sit tight, alright?"

Ichigo nodded and stood back out of the way, holding the plastic shopping bag behind his back.

Akon bent down, grabbing the metal container with both arms. "Ok, now when I push, you lift up and we'll get this thing put together, alright?" Hearing no response, Akon looked up. Veneno had his eyes down, staring at nothing. "Veneno, you hear me?"

His head snapped up. "What?"

"Did you hear what I said just now?"

Veneno yawned and nodded his head. "Yeah, yeah. Lift up, I got it. You push. I know, I know."

Akon nodded and lowered himself again. "I know you're tired but I need you to pay attention, ok? I promise we'll leave when this is done." Akon looked at Veneno again. "Ready?"

He nodded.

"Ok… Lift!"

Veneno lifted up the machine they were assembling as Akon slide the attachment under it. As soon as Akon was clear and the object was in place, Veneno lowered the machine and stepped back. "Are we done now?"

Akon looked it over and stood up. He took off his goggles and tossed them onto the table. "Yes, thank God." Veneno gave a huge sigh of thanks and leaned against the wall, exhausted. "Sorry I had you working so late tonight, Veneno. We've never worked you this long before."

Veneno nodded his head, sleepily. "Can I go to my room now? I'm really tired."

"Sure, I'll walk you there." Akon wanted to make sure Veneno didn't take any detours on his way back to his room. He still didn't know his way around without help for a lot of different locations. Akon knew he was tired. He kept spacing out while they were working. He wanted to make sure Veneno got back to his room safely.

They started to file out of the building one after the other. Veneno was so tired, he hardly noticed Ichigo until he put his arm around his shoulder and held up the plastic bag. "I got you some things if you're hungry." Ichigo pulled out the donut and held it out for him.

Veneno took it and took a bite. Another new taste he was unfamiliar with. It was similar to cake but different. It was sweet. He took another bite and another. "Thanks," he said with his mouth full. He needed this snack.

Akon opened the doors and held them open for the other two, showing them outside. Akon remarked how much later it was than he thought and closed the doors behind them after everyone was outside. As he turned to follow them, he noticed that Veneno was standing very still, looking up. "What's the matter?"

Veneno stood with his mouth open, donut at his lips, staring up at the sky. His heavy eyes had suddenly grown wide with wonder and traveled from star to star. He looked away for a moment to look at Akon and then pointed up with his free hand. "Those are stars, aren't they?"

Akon nodded his head slowly. "Yeah…"

Veneno looked back at the sky in awe. He gaped at the millions of stars hanging overhead. "Wow…" He had never seen stars before. Only in books which Akon had given to him in the lab to pass the time. This was amazing to him. He started to walk forward, still looking up. The tall buildings kept obstructing his view of the sky. He wanted to see more. There were so many stars. They were like diamonds.

Then he spotted something that far surpassed the stars. Most of it was hidden by a building, but it was big. Veneno moved closer and lost sight of it. The wall was in his way now. He looked down at the remains of the donut in his hand and shoved it into his mouth. Both hands now free, he took a running start and scaled the side of the wall. He grabbed the shingles and pulled himself onto the roof and over.

"Wait!" Akon chased after him. Why did Veneno have to run off like this? Ichigo followed him out into the street. Veneno was moving fast toward another street.

He kept his eyes on the sky as he ran. He didn't want to lose sight of it. He leapt from roof to roof and ran across buildings and climbed over walls and anything else in his path. He showed excellent parkour skills. Now able to see what he had been chasing, he stopped on the wall separating the street from a garden.

It was magnificent. It was enormous. Like a giant pearl. It was like looking at a dim light bulb in the sky. It was so simple yet so captivating. Veneno was enthralled with it.

Akon and Ichigo had caught up to him and were standing below looking up at him. "Why'd you run off like that?"

He pointed. "Look, Akon. Look at that giant star. Isn't that amazing?"

Akon looked. He resisted the urge to call Veneno an idiot. It wasn't his fault. "That's not a star. That's the moon."

"The moon?"

"How can you know about stars and not the moon?" Akon asked, putting his hands on his hips.

Veneno looked down at him, frowning slightly. "I've never seen the moon look like that before. In all those books I've seen, it's always half that size, like someone took a bite out of it. I've never seen it whole before." He looked back at the sky. "The moon…"

Akon started to move toward the barracks. "Come on, let's get to bed."

Veneno looked down, eyes bright with determination. "Uh, can't I stay here for a few more minutes to look?"

Akon stopped and turned around. "You want to look at the moon for a few more minutes?"

"Please?" He had never seen it before. Either he was in that lab with no windows or he was already in bed sleeping when the moon and stars were out. The past couple of nights were cloudy so it didn't matter if he was up or not to see them. They weren't visible at that time. He wanted to admire the night sky just a little longer.

Akon was about to protest when Ichigo answered for him. "Sure you can. But can we do it on the roof of the barracks?"

Now wide awake, Veneno nodded and jumped down landing between them. Akon was tired and wanted to go to bed but Ichigo had other plans, helping Veneno fulfill his wishes. Though Akon could go to bed anytime he wished, he was still required to watch over Veneno and keep an eye on him at all times so he couldn't if Veneno wanted to do something else. At least they would be on top of the barracks.

The trio sat on the roof looking up at the sky. In the city, it was impossible to see so many stars so clearly. It was far too bright. Even in Karakura Town, Ichigo had a hard time seeing the stars when the lights were on over the streets and in large buildings and over billboards. When he wasn't doing his Soul Reaper duties, he was catching up on sleep during the night so he never had a chance to look at the stars like this anyway. It was nice to be able to. He couldn't remember the last time he sat and looked at the stars, doing nothing else. This was very enjoyable.

Veneno stared wide-eyed at the sky with a smile as if there were a barrage of fireworks exploding overhead. This was astounding to him. A simple night sky, so marvelous in his big green eyes. He sat between Ichigo and Akon on the roof, looking away every now and then to look at them. Akon seemed bored most of the time, waiting to go to bed and sleep. Ichigo was more into it than he was, so Veneno talked to him most of the time.

"Have you ever seen stars like this before?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Not very often because they appear when people are going to sleep. But this is nice."

"You like looking at them, too?"

"Yeah. It's peaceful. I like it."

"Me, too." Veneno looked back at the sky. "I've never seen a full moon before, either. It's awesome."

"Yeah, it is."

As time went on, Veneno became less enthusiastic and just looked at the sky. He started to slide up the roof and closer to Ichigo. He rubbed his neck with his hand.

"Stiff neck?"

He nodded.

"It's from looking up so much."

"But I want to," he said. "I like looking at the sky when it's like this." This was all new for him. He yawned and looked at the moon. It had moved from its last location as time passed.

Minutes passed and Veneno's head started to bob. He moved closer to Ichigo and rested his head on his shoulder. Ichigo looked down, stiffening. "What are you doing?"

"It's hard to keep my head up. Can I rest it on you for a little bit?"

Unable to turn him down, Ichigo agreed. "Sure. Go ahead."

Veneno rested his head on Ichigo's shoulder and looked back at the moon. "Think I'll see it again when it's like this?"

"Sure. It's full every month. Next month, it will look like this again."

"That's good."

Akon Looked over his shoulder at them and pointed to his wrist where a watch would be, indicating that he wanted them to wrap it up. It was getting late and even Veneno was winding down. His excitement was the only thing keeping him awake and that wouldn't last for much longer. He had a full day of work and needed to rest. He was just being stubborn.

"We should turn in," Akon said.

Veneno's head shifted. "But I'm not done looking yet. Just another minute?"

Akon sighed and sat back down. "Just another minute but that's it."

Veneno's head shifted downward then lifted back up as it slid down Ichigo's shoulder. His head started to slid down again and he picked it back up and rested it further up his shoulder again. His head was heavy.

Ichigo shifted the plastic bag next to him with his left hand. "I brought you some more food like I promised I would."

"That's nice… thanks…" His voice faded in and out.

"You can eat them whenever you want," Ichigo told him. "And I'll bring you more the next time I visit."

"… Ok… Thanks…"

He heard his whisper and felt the warmth against his shoulder grow noticeably stronger. Veneno's quiet voice sounded like a sigh in his ear. He sounded grateful and tired. And happy.

For a while, Veneno was silent.

Ichigo spoke again. "Veneno?"

He didn't respond.

He asked again, louder. "Ven…" He stopped, hearing his shallow breathing. He looked up at Akon who had turned. "I think he's asleep."

Akon crawled across the roof and peered down at Veneno's face. He sat back, silently telling Ichigo that he was correct. Veneno had fallen asleep on Ichigo's shoulder, looking at the night sky. He no longer had the strength to keep his eyes open any longer.

It seemed pointless to wake him up so they decoded to carry him to his room to sleep. Akon held Veneno's shoulders while Ichigo slide his shoulder out from under his head and crawled in front of him. Ichigo turned his back to Veneno and pulled his limp arms around his shoulders. He held his hands carefully to his chest as he stood up, lifting Veneno onto his back and off the roof. He didn't move an inch.

Akon led the way to the edge of the roof and jumped down. Ichigo followed, forgetting that he wasn't a Soul Reaper at the moment. Akon reached out and caught Ichigo as he jumped, slowing him just before he landed. Feeling themselves fall, Veneno shifted against Ichigo's back with a slight moan. He rubbed his cheek against Ichigo's shoulder and continued to slumber.

Ichigo carried him one step at a time down the street and into the building. Veneno's room was right on the end. Akon opened the door and allowed Ichigo inside first. He bent down in front of the bed on the floor and lowered Veneno into bed, carefully laying him down. Supporting his head with his hand, Ichigo lowered his head onto the pillow and slid his hand out from under him. He pulled the blanket up to Veneno's neck and crept back. Veneno rolled onto his left side and curled up, snoring softly.

Ichigo tiptoed out of the room, leaving the plastic bag beside the wooden dresser and slid the door shut. He let out the breath he was holding and looked to Akon. He had come at a late time so it was best for him to leave and come back during the daytime.

As Ichigo started to leave, Akon called out to him. "You can't buy his love, you know."

Ichigo turned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. I saw those things in that bag you brought with you."

"I was just being nice. I'm not trying to buy us anything but a chance."

"A chance to do what?"

"I chance to right a wrong." Ichigo turned around. "I want to give him a chance at a life he can enjoy. It has nothing to do with buying someone's love. You saw how happy he was looking at the stars tonight. That's what he wants. The simple things that people take for granted. A chance to see the sun and walk freely without fear. That's what I want for him. He said he regretted that."

"So you're trying to make it up to him by doing it now."

"Why shouldn't he have the chance to experience the things everyone else does? You can't keep him under lock and key. He has a right-"

"I know that! But keep in mind that I have orders, too. I wasn't supposed to let him out of the lab in the first place. He wandered out and then you came along and more things started happening." Veneno lowered his voice and took a step closer to Ichigo. "Besides… I'm all for him having fun and being free… but let's not forget that he isn't an equal, Ichigo. He's not a Soul Reaper. He's an Arrancar."

"So what?"

"So he will never belong with us. He's not one of us. He's different and he knows it. There's only so long I can keep that under wraps before he figures it out himself. I was told not to tell him anything about his past or about what he is. It could tamper with the experiment."

"Is that all he is to you? An experiment? Why can't he be an equal just because he's an Arrancar? So what? Who cares?"

"Because things juts don't work that way. It can't happen."

"And why not?" Ichigo asked. "I know for a fact that Arrancars can get along fine with Soul Reapers. I'm friends with a couple of them. I help them and they helped me. He's no different. It's not what you are, it's who you are. I mean, Aizen was a Soul Reaper and look what happened with him. Just being a Soul Reaper doesn't mean you're automatically the good guy. It's not that black and white."

At the mention of Aizen's name, Akon flinched. Three Soul Reaper Captains betrayed them. He knew things weren't black and white, yet Akon found himself saying just that. Why was he doing that? He knew being a Soul Reaper didn't make you good. Aizen was proof of that. Was it possible that he was doing this to convince himself not to get closer to Veneno? He was an experiment but over time he was beginning to see him more as an equal. Was he so desperate to keep a wall between them that he would stoop that far to say that it was because of him being an Arrancar that they couldn't be equals? When had he started to do that? What was happening to him?

He looked up and found Ichigo still staring at him with hard eyes. He sighed. "Look, it's late and I'm tired and cranky. Can we do this another time?"

Ichigo backed off. "Sure. Sorry."

"It's fine. Think nothing of it." Akon gave Ichigo a slight wave and turned around to go to his own room. "I'll see you in the daytime, alright?"

"Yeah, see you." Ichigo turned and went is own way back to the World of the Living. He did care for Veneno and he was trying to make amends. But there was more to it than that. Without the hatred he felt towards them, he saw that Veneno was a really nice guy and deserving of a second chance. He couldn't turn him down simply because he was an Arrancar. Then he would be doing what everyone else was doing which turned Veneno into who he was before, believing all Soul Reapers to be bad. Ichigo was determined not to do that. No matter what.

* * *

Ichigo returned to the Living World and entered the house through the back door. Ikkaku was finished with his bottle and was selecting another one from the shelf in the dining room. He glanced up when he felt Ichigo at his back. "Finished already?"

"Yeah. It was late there so we didn't have a lot of time."

He grunted and pulled out a very expensive looking bottle of wine. The writing looked Italian. Ikkaku uncorked it and drank directly from the bottle.

Ichigo moved into the kitchen, looking around. Rukia and Hanataro were watching TV. There was no sign of anyone else. Curious to see if Linnette was still upstairs, Ichigo walked toward the staircase to investigate. Before he got to the landing, Linnette turned the corner and started down the stairs, almost running into Ichigo who was coming up. She stopped short, blinking. "Oh, hi, Ichigo."

"Hi."

Victor stood behind her, looking down at him. "Was there something you needed?"

"Uh, no. Not really. I was just wondering what you were doing up here for so long."

"We just finished her lessons for the day." Victor put a hand on her shoulder, like a father filled with loving pride. "She is home schooled, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. That's right." Ichigo had forgotten. This must have been the time of day when they schooled her. Just because they had guests over didn't mean the lessons had to stop.

"Where's Hanataro?" she asked. "I want to show him a video game I have."

"He's in the den with Rukia."

"Thanks." Linnette pushed past him and down the stairs.

Victor motioned for Ichigo to walk down the stairs with him by blocking his path and walking down the stairs. This forced Ichigo to walk backwards and back onto the first level of the house. Victor then walked by him and into the kitchen to prepare a snack for everyone.

"I've noticed that Linnette's spending less time with me and more with Hanataro and everyone," Ichigo said to Victor. He had noticed it for some time and was a little curious as to why that was.

"Well, she does have a lot more friends now. And Hanataro is closer to her age and size," Victor explained. "She spends time with you, too, but she has to give everyone little bit of attention. I'm sure she's just trying to get to know him better and she's heard from you more than she has him. Her letters won't reach the Soul Society."

"I guess you're right."

The front door opened behind them and Rangiku's loud voice rang off the tall walls and high ceiling. "I'm not saying it was bad or anything. All I'm saying is that they smell. That's all."

Yumichika followed in next, Cedric bringing up the rear carrying all the bags. "They're horses. What do you expect? You're the one who wanted to go for a carriage ride around the park."

"I know and it was fun. I enjoyed it. I just hate how I now smell like horse. It's in my hair and everything." She looked over at Cedric and pointed. "Could you set those down over there by the others?"

"You should thank him, Rangiku. The man paid for the carriage ride and your food and he carried all your bags."

"Look who's talking. He's carrying your things, too."

Yumichika held up the three bags in his arms. "At least I'm carrying these! You got nothing! Treating him like a pack mule."

"I didn't hear him complain."

"That's because you were too busy doing it yourself! 'The wind's ruining my hair', 'the horse smells', 'the seat's filthy', 'my feet hurt', 'I'm hungry'… All the way home and all day long! Shut up once in a while!"

"I didn't complain that much!"

"At least I had the decency to carry some of my bags! You just shoved them into his arms and ordered him around!"

"You did the same thing!"

"I did not!"

Cedric dropped the shopping bags on the floor and walked into the kitchen and stood beside Victor. "So how did it go?"

"I've never wanted to shoot myself in the head so badly."

Ichigo understood completely. Spending an extended period of time around those two must have been hell.

Cedric cheered right up the moment he caught sight of Linnette and followed her into the den. She was setting up a video game for her and Hanataro to play.

Victor went back to what he was doing. He set a bowl on the counter, preparing to cook. "Would you like anything, Ichigo?" He didn't answer. "Ichigo?"

He was staring at the bowl on the counter, his eyes darkening. A moment later, his eyes snapped open, glowing a brilliant gold and hissed. His head twisted around like a curious animal, searching for something. As if catching a scent, he bounded toward the den and jumped onto the couch. Spotting Linnette in the middle of the room, he leapt over to her and curled his body around hers.

"Ichigo?" she asked, seeing his strange antics.

"Guess again, Princess."

"Hollow?"

He nodded and nuzzled her neck affectionately. "I've been a good boy so far, haven't I? Please sing for me. Just a little teeny tiny bit?"

Victor and Cedric were standing in the doorway, watching. Linnette looked up at them and then down at Ichigo. Her decision was made. She stood up and walked into the living room. Ichigo followed her like a shadow, not wanting to be left behind. She sat on the couch and Ichigo sat beside her, watching her closely.

"Alright, I will sing. You've been good so far. But I'll only do a little bit, ok?"

He nodded up and down and curled up on her lap like a loyal dog. She began to sing and he melted away, purring happily. She stroked his back and patted his head as she sang softly. Her song was slow and soothing. After two minutes, she noticed that his purring had ceased and looked down. His eyes were shut, but he was still smiling. She hummed as she lifted his heavy head off her lap and slid out from under him. He didn't move. Her song was like a lullaby and put him right to sleep. Now all she had to do was wait for the real Ichigo to return.

She went back to the living room. Not wanting anyone to worry, she put on a brave face and treated it like it was nothing. She sat beside Hanataro on the floor and showed him how to work the video game. Ichigo would be back. She just had to wait.

* * *

Things had settled down. Few people paid any attention to Ichigo's Hollow this time. Then again, not too many took notice of it. Byakuya was still reading and hadn't come out of the study all morning. Rangiku was upstairs taking a bath to get rid of the sweat and horse stench after their outing. Yumichika and Ikkaku sat outside on the back porch, talking. Linnette was showing Hanataro how to play a video game while Rukia watched. Cedric tended to his outdoor chores while Victor prepared snacks, keeping an eye on the sleeping Hollow on the couch.

Linnette cheered on Hanataro as he tried and failed to get the hang of the video game. "That's it, you're doing it."

He was sweating and panting as if he were running a race as he fumbled the controller in his sweaty hands. "I- I don't know what to do!"

"Just push that one down to make it go forward."

"Like this? Like this?"

"With your thumb, yes. No, that way! That way!"

"I- I can't do it!"

Linnette took her hand off her controller and helped Hanataro with his. "See? Just like this."

He pushed the button she wanted and his character on the screen crashed into a wall. The controller in his hand vibrated and he dropped it on the ground, yelping in surprise. "It- it moved! It growled at me or something!"

"It does that when you bump into something."

Hanataro backed away from the controller. "I don't think I want to play anymore."

"It's not gonna bite."

He hide next to the couch.

Linnette pulled him forward and handed him the controller back. "Here, watch." She showed him what to do, pointing at buttons and moving his hands to where they needed to be. "See? It's not that hard. You try. Push that one like this and it will move where you want."

"Like this?"

"Yeah. See? You got it."

Their game went on. Hanataro yelped and cried out every now and then when his character crashed or didn't move the right way. He always flinched every time something flashed across the screen, leaving Linnette to reassure him.

Their laughter and cries were heard down the hall and into the study where Byakuya was still reading. This was the one room where he could find serenity. He turned the page in his book, trying to ignore the voices down the hall. He started to turn another page and stopped.

Something was amiss. A strange feeling had come over him. He lost the will to read. There was something that required his attention. Something he had to do. He was drawn to it.

He closed the book and stood up.

Outside, Yumichika watched Cedric wandering around the yard, picking up sticks and leaves, keeping the grass clear. Ikkaku took another swig from his bottle. "Bored?"

"How'd you know?"

"You could help him with the yard, you know."

"Yeah, that'll happen." Ikkaku turned to him. "Why don't you?"

He laughed. "Are you kidding? It's his yard. Besides, I'm not dressed for yard work."

"So you'd rather complain?"

"I'm not complaining. I was just making a suggestion. That's all."

"Duly noted." Ikkaku drank from the bottle again. "Had your fill of shopping yet?"

"I didn't just shop. There are a lot of things to see here. They even offer boat rides by the docks. I'm tempted to go."

"Then why don't you? Don't want to go without me or something?"

Yumichika didn't answer.

"Take a joke, I was just kidding."

He still wasn't answering. Ikkaku turned. A strange look had come over Yumichika's face.

"Are you ok?"

Without a word, Yumichika stood up and went into the house.

Ikkaku frowned. "What's with him? I didn't think I insulted him."

In the den, Linnette had won the video game and was patting Hanataro on the shoulder for a good try. "You did good. It was close. Want to do another game or do you want to practice this one a little more?"

Hanataro didn't answer. Instead he stood up and left the room.

Linnette frowned. "What's the matter?" She looked at Rukia who had been watching them this whole time. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. He's not the type to pout. He probably just had to use the bathroom real fast and didn't want to announce it."

Hanataro walked into the kitchen and looked around. Victor had ducked down to take something out of a low drawer. He looked forward. Byakuya and Yumichika, no longer in Gigais, had stepped out of the dining room and were looking around as well. Their eyes fell to the couch where Ichigo was still resting. They approached without a word.

They each stood on different sides of the couch, looking down at him. Byakuya bent down in front and picked Ichigo up in his arms, cradling him. Hanataro hurried to the front door and opened it.

The noise caused Victor to look up. He saw Byakuya, no longer in a Gigai, carrying Ichigo out the front door. Yumichika followed him outside. His eyes narrowed when he saw Hanataro take something out of his pocket.

"Is everything alright?"

Without answering, Hanataro turned his back to him and his empty Gigai fell to the floor with a thunk. The Soul Reaper followed the other two out the door and disappeared from view.

Victor's eyes narrowed again and he laid the spoon in his hand on the edge of the bowl on the counter. He had to follow them. Something wasn't right.

Exposed to the afternoon air, Ichigo frowned. He felt his body moving. His eyes opened, bright gold. Still his Hollow. His dark eyes found Byakuya and narrowed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled, lifting his head off his shoulder.

Byakuya looked down. "Be quiet."

No one ordered him around. "You don't tell me what to do!" He looked around. "Where's Linnette? Where is she?"

"I said be quiet."

The panic-stricken Hollow started to buck and twist his body around, making it difficult to hold on to him. "Where is she? I want her! Tell me where she is right now! Put me down!"

Byakuya tightened his hold on the thrashing Hollow. "Keep still and be quiet!"

He kept bouncing and kicking. "Let me go!" He grabbed a fistful of Byakuya's long hair and pulled. "You hear me?! Put me down now!"

Byakuya winced, his head at an awkward angle. "Settle down now and be quiet!"

He pulled harder and kicked, trying to get out of Byakuya's grasp. He wanted to get back to Linnette. And being trapped in a human body meant that he had no sword to defend himself with. He thrashed again. "Put me down! Put me-"

Yumichika punched Ichigo in the back of the head. His eyes rolled back and he went limp, rendered unconscious and silent.

Byakuya pulled his hair free from his slack grip and looked at the 5th Seat standing beside him. "Why didn't you knock him out sooner?"

He shrugged. "Why didn't you?"

"My hands are full!"

He gave his hair a flip. "I couldn't take it any more. He was sleeping before. It was your unsteady movement that woke him up in the first place."

Hanataro turned around. "Should I open the Senkaimon now?"

"Now why would you want to do that?"

The men turned around and saw Victor standing in the yard, eyeing them knowingly. Byakuya backed away with his prize in hand. Yumichika stepped in front of him as if he were guarding them. He removed his sword from his side and held it in front of him.

Victor frowned. "Where are you taking Ichigo?"

"That's none of your business."

"I think it is. Either you tell me or-"

Yumichika cut him off, slamming his drawn sword on Victor's shoulder. Only his sleeve was torn. The skin never broke.

"Now that was rude." Victor grabbed the blade with his bare hand and pushed it off his body. "Take Ichigo back inside right now. I can't have you taking him against his will. Besides, Linnette would be upset if he left without telling her."

"Stay out of it!" He jumped back and swung again. "Now Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!" This blade split into four different blades. He held it in one hand, his weapon looking like an extension of claws. Victor was unfazed by the weapon's new look, but he proceed with caution. After all, this was the same blade that had severed him in the past. He wasn't about to have Linnette cry again because he was careless.

Byakuya looked at Hanataro. "Open it."

Nodding, Hanataro took out his own Zanpakuto preparing to open the Senkaimon. As he drew it, he felt a strong gust of wind at his back. He turned around, finding Yumichika standing by himself. The 5th Seat looked around, taken by surprise. His enemy was gone in a flash. Hanataro faced forward again, Victor in his sights. He yelped in surprise and jumped back.

"Why are you trying to return to your world with Ichigo?"

He couldn't answer. His hands were shaking, causing his sword to rattle. He gulped. He knew how strong Victor was, but he was determined to return to his home with Ichigo. It was for reasons he could not explain. It was a strong sense of duty. It had to be done. That's why he couldn't back down, even when faced with this powerful suited man.

"Put down your sword and go back inside."

He shook his head. "I- I can't… I can't…"

"Why not?"

He shook his head again, whimpering.

"Open it, Yamada!" Byakuya ordered.

The small Soul Reaper jumped and tried to open the Senkiamon. Victor stood in his way, preventing him from doing so. "Please let me through."

"I will not."

"P- please..?"

Victor stood his ground.

"For crying out loud!" Yumichika barked. "Juts give him one of these!" He slashed at Victor with his four blades. Victor bent backwards, avoiding them. Yumichika swung again. He missed. He swung again and again, missing every time. "Hold still, damn it!"

Victor sidestepped and Yumichika followed. Victor reached up and grabbed the orange leash attaching his sleeve and upper uniform together and ripped it free.

Immediately, Yumichika went into hysterics. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why did you do that?!" He lowered his sword to examine the damage. It wasn't so terrible, but he wouldn't take this laying down. "You're gonna pay for that!" He took a swing at Victor again.

This time Victor grabbed his extended arm and moved around behind him, wrapping his other arm around Yumichika's neck. Unable to swing his sword or move his right arm, Yumichika pulled at Victor's sleeve with his left, trying to get free. Victor tightened his hold, squeezing his neck. Fighting for air, Yumichika pulled franticly at his arm, kicking the man's legs. Nothing he did helped. His lungs were empty. He had to get air, fast. Victor closed off his windpipe and his blood flow. The Soul Reaper's eyes started to pop out of his head. The strength drained from his body and his sword fell onto the grass. Victor waited another two seconds before releasing him. Yumichika fell forward onto the grass, out cold.

Victor then turned to the petrified Hanataro who was still torn between running for his life and doing what he was told. As the man took a step towards him, he panicked and ran to hide behind Byakuya.

"Either you open the Senkaimon or I will!" Byakuya shouted.

"I can't! He'll kill me!"

"Then you hold onto him and I'll do it."

Before they could make the exchange, Victor stood behind Hanataro and flicked his temple with his index finger. The small Soul Reaper fell backwards into his arms, knocked out. Victor laid him down in the grass and turned his attention to Byakuya.

The Captain held Ichigo tightly and backed away. He had to put him down in order to fight and open the Senkaimon. Knowing that, Byakuya still found it difficult to do so. He didn't want to let Ichigo go. He couldn't bring himself to let go of this boy.

"Why are you doing this?' Victor asked him calmly.

Byakuya looked into his blue eyes. He had no reasons which could be explained. But his actions were logically sound in his mind. This all made sense to him. He would take Ichigo to the Soul Society and from there… Then what? Why did he want to take him there anyway? It didn't matter. It was something that had to be done. A duty he was sworn to. A promise that had to be kept. Orders which could not be turned down. That was all he knew. He couldn't refuse. It was…

… Instinct.

"Please put him down."

"I cannot." Byakuya took a step back, refusing to give up Ichigo. "Leave me be."

"Give him to me now."

"I will do no such thing."

"Why not?"

"I just won't!" Byakuya said. "I can't give him up. I need him."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just do." Byakuya wasn't himself. He was acting on impulse and desires he knew nothing of. It made sense to him. It was something he had to do. He couldn't refuse. His mind couldn't make full sense of it. It was like being a child. If someone were to take his toy away, his adult mind would understand that he would see it again and it was no big deal. His child mind would understand that it was now gone forever and wanted it back, which was call for a tantrum. That was all he knew. He had to have Ichigo. He had to take him to the Soul Society. He didn't know why, but he had to.

Seeing that this was getting him nowhere, Victor approached. Byakuya stepped back, refusing to give him up. Victor put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder and the other on Byakuya's. They looked into each other's eyes. Victor's face was serious but calm. Byakuya kept his eyes on him, watching. He knew Victor was bound to try something. He was too busy looking into his eyes to notice the hand move from his shoulder up to his neck and then behind his ear. By the time he did, it was too late. Victor's strong finger pressed into his temple and Byakuya dropped Ichigo, falling to the side.

Victor grabbed Ichigo and Byakuya by their collars and dragged them toward the house. He stopped twice to gather up the other two, slinging them over his shoulders. He entered through the front door and carried them to the living room. He set Byakuya down on the couch and set Hanataro and Yumichika in the armchairs on either side of the coffee table. He then carried Ichigo into the den and sat him on the couch beside Rukia and Linnette.

The young girl looked up when she saw him do this. "Is Ichigo ok?"

Victor nodded. "I'm sure he is. I'm just moving him to this room so Byakuya can have the couch in the living room."

"My brother's in there?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, but he's resting at the moment. I wouldn't bother him."

Ichigo shifted and opened his eyes. The gold eyes found Linnette and immediately latched onto her, hugging her around the middle and resting his head on her stomach. He settled down, happy to be at her side.

It would take a little while until the real Ichigo returned. In the meantime, Victor knew that they had another issue to work out. And this one was sitting in the living room. All three of them.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Akon went to fetch Veneno like he did every morning. He was trying to put the conversation he had with Ichigo out of his mind and carry on as normal. He stopped outside the door on the end of the hall and knocked. "Let's go, Veneno. It's morning. Time to get up." There was no answer. "Are you in there? Did you hear me?"

With no answer, Akon opened the door and went inside. Veneno was still in bed, sound asleep. Akon bent down and pulled the blanket off his body. Veneno didn't move. He shook his shoulder. Nothing. Concerned, Akon lifted Veneno up and shook him harder.

"Veneno? Veneno, wake up. Wake up! Veneno!"

At last, a moan. Veneno lifted his head and turned toward the man holding him. "What's it? Whatza matter..?" he asked groggily.

"Are you ok? You weren't waking up."

Veneno sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Oh..? Sorry…" He yawned and ruffled his brown hair. "I was having a dream. I guess I didn't want to wake up or something."

"You must have been sleeping deeply, then." Akon sat back, relieved. He was concerned for Veneno, but in a different way. He was mostly worried about what his Captain would do if his precious experiment had a glitch or was killed and his 3rd Seat had no explanation for it. "What was your dream about?"

Veneno turned his way, waking up little by little. "It had those people in it again with those eyes. But I was there, too. I wasn't watching myself, it was like I was doing it. It was from my point of view." He folded the sheets down over his knees. "I was asking them to talk to me but all they could do was growl. I was lonely in the dream and I wanted to make friends with them, I think."

"You're lonely?"

"In the dream I think I was. There were other parts in the dream, too. I dreamed I was talking to another me. It was cool."

"Sounds it."

Veneno nodded and got out of bed. A lock of hair caught on his horn, exposing his mask. Akon quickly reached up and folded it back over his mask, hiding it. After that, Veneno got changed and followed Akon to breakfast.

After they were finished eating, they took a walk to the 10th Division to deliver something to one of the Seated Officers. After that they began to walk back to their own Division. Along the way, Veneno talked about his dreams. Akon didn't pay too much attention to him. As they took a shortcut through the 11th Division, Akon noticed that Veneno had grown quiet. He was looking at one of the buildings. There were strange sounds coming from inside.

Unable to resist, Veneno wandered over to the building and peered in through the open window. There were two men inside holding wooden swords, whacking them together. Veneno watched them curiously. Akon stood beside him and saw the look of wonder in his green eyes. Veneno was captivated by their movement. The sound those swords made, clacking together. The interesting shape. This was new to him.

After a few minutes, the men returned the swords to a closet and stepped outside. Veneno entered the now empty room through the window and stood on the smooth wooden floor. Akon climbed in after him, leaving his sandals outside and asking Veneno to do the same.

As veneno hopped up and down, trying to remove his sandals, he asked, "What is this place?"

"It's one of the training halls they have around here. It's a dojo, I guess you'd say."

"A dojo? Why don't we have one of these?"

"Because we actually use our heads for something other than head butting other people," Akon remarked. He turned his head, catching one of Veneno's sandals in his face and then the other. Veneno was wandering over to the closet, sliding on the smooth floor in his socks. He opened the bamboo doors and looked inside.

There were at least a dozen wooden swords in this tiny closet. Unable to contain himself, Veneno reached inside and took out one of the swords, marveling at it's unique shape. He was drawn to them. He held the sword in both hands, one on the handle and the other on the blade. It was heavier on one end than the other. He ran his hand over the blade part, noticing how smooth and light it felt. Such skillful craftsmanship. He turned the sword around, holding it the same way he saw the men do it. As he held it, a warmth began to rise up in both arms, as if the heat were coming from the sword's inside. He felt powerful holding it.

"What are you two doing in here?"

Veneno spun around, holding the sword behind his back. Several people from Squad 11 had arrived and didn't look too pleased with the trespassers. A man with black hair was looking down at him with beady little eyes. "I was just looking," Veneno blurted out.

Akon stepped in front of Veneno, defending him. "We're sorry, 10th Seat Makizo Aramaki. Sorry. We were just passing through, running an errand. We'll be going now." He started to pull Veneno toward the door but Makizo threw out his arm, stopping them.

"Not so fast. You can't just walk in here and start messing with our stuff. That's just not right."

Akon called his bluff. "Acting like a big shot now that Ikkaku's not around. That's rich."

"Now wait just a minute," he barked. "That is so not true. As a member of Squad 11, I'm just as rough and tough as everyone else. I'm as nasty as they come."

Some other members were making their way to the front, looking at the sword in Veneno's hand. "Looks like we got ourselves a snoop. We should teach him a thing or two, messing with our equipment like that."

Veneno gulped and hid behind Akon. He was yanked out of his hiding place and held off the ground by one of the men. "Look at this scrawny thing. What a lightweight."

Akon pulled Veneno back. "Look, we're sorry. We'll be on our way so…"

"Not a chance." A Soul Reaper took a sword from the closet and pointed it under Veneno's chin. "You come in here, you fight. Them's the rules."

"Oh, come on. Admit you made that up." Akon pulled Veneno behind his back. "I know the 11th Division is hot-headed but seriously…"

An especially buff man put his arm around Akon's shoulders, his weight pushing him into the ground. "Come on. One round and we'll forgive you. It's not gonna kill you."

"If he goes against you…"

"We'll start him off easy." The man called for one of the smaller men to come forward. "He'll take on Kazu in one round and that's that. He's easy, just starting out."

"Not true!" said the man called Kazu. "I've been in this Division for three years now. I'm no rookie."

"When you can perfect your Shikai, then we'll talk."

The Squad members pulled Veneno, sword and all over to the middle of the room and stood him in front of Kazu. He gripped the sword tightly, shaking with nervous tension. Akon was pulled over to the wall and held back by Makizo. The other members surrounded them, waiting for what they hoped would be a good show. They knew no one from Squad 12 could fight. Not the way they could. And Veneno was about as wimpy as they came. He wasn't even holding his sword properly.

Akon shook his head, seeing the fearful look on Veneno's face. "This is a mistake," he muttered into Makizo's elbow. Veneno couldn't fight. He was never shown how. He didn't know how to defend himself. He had never even held a sword before. Now he was expected to go up against a member of Squad 11? He was going to be carried back to the 12th Division in a body bag. He was going to be returned in pieces if he was lucky.

"I'll go easy on you," promised Kazu. He took a step forward and lunged. Veneno ducked, holding the wooden sword he was carrying in front of his body. Akon rolled his eyes, seeing that he was holding it in the middle as if it were a baton. This was going to be a disaster. Kazu swatted Veneno in his shoulder with the side of his sword.

"Ow!" Veneno stood up, rubbing his shoulder and got whacked in the rib and then again on his kneecap, causing him to fall to his knees.

The other Squad members laughed and jeered at the fallen man. Akon pushed against the Soul Reapers holding him back. "That's enough. He doesn't know what he's doing. You'll hurt him."

"That's the idea in a spar."

"Yeah, don't worry. We'll leave him alive for you. I hear Unohana's not doing anything today."

Akon moaned, wanting to jump in there and carry him out. Veneno needed help. Scratch that; he needed a miracle.

Veneno stood on bended knee, looking at the sword in his hands. What was expected of him? What was he meant to do? Fight? He didn't know how to do that. He didn't know this. He heard Akon's begging them for mercy, knowing that Veneno had no idea what to do. But they weren't going to let them leave unless he made an attempt. He had to at least try. His plan was to mimic what his opponent was doing. He stood up and moved his hands to the handle of the wooden sword.

That same warm feeling went up his arms and into his chest. Getting a feel for his weapon, he grasped it tightly and gave it a swing. The way the blade cut through the air sounded like someone blowing in his ear. It made such an amazing sound. He held the wooden blade with both hands and swept it diagonally. The edge sliced up through the air. It was so easy to hold. It moved as he wanted, like an extension of his arm.

Kazu made his move, swinging his weapon at Veneno's chest. Automatically, Veneno held the sword in front of his body and braced himself. The swords clanked together, blocking the other. Veneno wasn't hurt. All he felt were the vibrations from the connecting swords in his arms. He wanted to do it again. Kazu backed up for round two and moved the sword in a stabbing motion toward Veneno's stomach. He knew what to do. His arm moved on its own. The next move brought the edge over and downward, turning and cutting the emptiness in front of him. Then there was a clack as the sword met the other, pushing it aside. His feet slide rather than stepped, giving his movements a seamless flow, as if he were dancing. He now stood beside the other man and pulled his sword up, resting it against his neck. If it had not been made of wood, Kazu would be dead from a slit throat.

The jeers had stopped and the Soul Reapers watched in awe. Even Akon had stopped fighting to break free and watched.

It felt so natural. As if he were already trained. He understood what the blade wanted from him. He knew how to fight. He knew what to do. Veneno stepped back, allowing the man to move again. Not wanting to be defeated so easily, Kazu moved towards him again, swinging. Veneno saw his movements and understood. Their natural flow, the way they slid and spun in the air. Dancing blades. Rhythmic and captivating. He understood. As he watched the man's blade draw closer to him, Veneno's pupils began to dilate.

He lifted the sword to his shoulder, then struck the weapon straight down in a sweeping gesture before turning his body adroitly out of the way of his enemy. Kazu turned and followed him, blade pointed forward. Veneno dropped his foot in a floor-splitting stomp and bent at the waist, letting the sword held by his enemy pass over his back. Using the handle of his sword, he stabbed it straight up, knocking the sword from Kazu's hand and into his own. He stood up and swept both swords from his upper body down. Kazu stepped backwards to avoid the wooden swords. Veneno planted his heel on Kazu's foot and continued forward, knocking him off balance and onto the floor. He then cross the blades in front of his neck and paused, ending his attack.

Veneno blinked and he looked down in surprise. He did not expect to be unhurt, or win for that matter. He stepped back and handed Kazu his sword back. Kazu stood up, looking at Veneno in surprise. Then he grinned and patted his shoulder in an accepting gesture.

Makizo gaped at Veneno and then looked at Akon. "Jeez, where've you been hiding this guy? He's actually good."

The Soul Reaper at his other side snorted. "I'll be the judge of that." He grabbed a sword and attacked Veneno while his back was turned.

Veneno wasn't paying any attention. He was too busy marveling at the sword in his hand. How had he done that? He moved the sword around in the air, testing it again. It moved up and twisted, like a feather in the wind. As if eliminating a number of enemies, the sword fluttered to the left and right and then descended toward the ground. He already knew. This was amazing.

Feeling someone at his back, Veneno turned and saw a sword in his face. Reacting on pure instinct, he blocked and bent down. He used the handle to jab the large man in the gut then jumped up, sank his foot into his chest, flipped over backwards and, letting out a battle cry, slashed him across the gut sideways. That was only enough to slow him down for a moment. He charged at Veneno again. Their swords connected and Veneno pushed him back with all his might and threw him into the air. Twisting his body around in the air, Veneno planted a kick in the man's spine and sent him into the opposite wall with a crash. Veneno landed on one knee, sword held in front of him, ready for more.

The other Soup Reapers dropped their jaws and stared at him.

Realizing what he had done, Veneno stood up, holding the sword to his chest and looked around nervously. Were they mad at him? Was he not supposed to do that? Was he in trouble? He feared his punishment.

The Soul Reapers charged forward, surrounded him and… patted his back. Veneno looked around in confusion. Suddenly he found himself being showered with complements and praise.

"Where have you been, man?"

"Yeah, what's a guy like you doing in Squad 12, anyway? You should be with us."

"You totally belong here."

"Sorry we were so hard on you before. It's what we do."

"All that teasing… let's forget about it, alright? What do you say?"

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Want to join us for another practice session? Maybe you can show us a few things."

"What did you say your name was again?"

Akon stood up straight, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. Veneno had a natural talent for swordplay. Either that, or it was muscle memory. That must have been it. Veneno already knew how to fight. It wasn't that he was learning it, but refreshing his memory. Veneno was unable to remember his past so he had forgotten that he knew how to fight. Being thrown into this sword fighting environment had allowed him to rekindle those lost memories and was therefore able to defend himself when faced with danger.

It wasn't natural talent or learning it, it was refreshing his memory. Veneno already knew how to fight. It only appeared to be natural. The skill was reawakening. Akon wrote this all down in his notebook. If this was true for Veneno, then what else was he going to rediscover if given the opportunity?

"Hey, Akon." Veneno ran up and stood beside his caretaker. "They said that I was welcome to stay and train with them for a while. Can I?"

Akon snapped the book shut and tucked it away. "You want to stay and train with these guys?"

"Kind of, yeah. They said they like me. And I kind of like do this. It's fun."

Akon looked down. Maybe it was best to remove him from the situation before things got worse. "Maybe later. We do have work to do back at the lab."

"Are you serious?' said a Squad member. "This guy's actually good. I'm surprised he's not with us."

"Yeah, you sure they didn't put him in the wrong Squad?"

Akon grabbed Veneno's arm and pulled him aside, taking the wooden sword from his hand and tossing it aside. "He'll catch up with you later when we're done working. Let's go, Veneno." He pulled Veneno out the door and grabbed their sandals, running away from the training hall. Once they were far enough away, Akon let Veneno go and they sat under a tree, putting on their sandals. "Sorry. It's just… we have a lot of things to do today. We don't want to be up all night again, do we?"

Veneno tied his snadals around his ankles and stood up. "Yeah, I know. Still that was pretty fun." He rubbed his shoulder. "You know, when I didn't get hit."

"There's going to be a lot of that if you stick around with them. I don't know if you're ready for that yet."

"I can handle it," he said. "I'll just try not to get hit. That's all."

Akon stood up and they started toward the lab again. "You make it sound so simple."

Things were never simple. Ever.

* * *

Byakuya's eyes opened first. His right hand immediately went to his temple and he winced. "Ow… my head..!"

Something cold was dropped into his lap and he looked down. An icepack. He looked up. Victor was sitting on the arm of the couch, pointing to the icepack. "That should help with the pain. Sorry I had to be so rough with you."

Byakuya lifted the icepack with his left hand and placed it in his right and pressed it to the side of his head. A wave of cold stung his skull and he winced again. "So… you're responsible?" Byakuya shut his eyes as the coldness ran through his head stinging him with painful numbness. "What did you do to me?"

Victor gestured to the others laying in the armchairs on either side of the coffee table. "I wanted to avoid discussing it until everyone was awake to save on time, but if you cannot wait…"

"You hit me in the head, didn't you?" Byakuya asked, figuring it out. "What did you hit me with? A bat?"

"My index finger."

Byakuya opened an eye to look at him. "That's it? It feels stronger than that."

"You doubt me? This is what I can do with one finger." Victor bent over and placed his index finger under the 150 pound coffee table, lifting it off the ground with ease. He lowered it and sat back, carefully folding his hands in his lap. "Knocking you out is no problem if I can do this much. But I was careful not to cause any brain damage. At least we have a medic here to help with the pain and bruising."

Byakuya shifted the icepack away from his eye. "Why did you knock me out? And them, too?"

"You were taking Ichigo to the Soul Society."

He blinked. "Why in the world would I do that?"

"I was hoping you would tell me. All three of you were doing it. None of you succeeded, though. He's fine. He's in in the den with Linnette and Rukia."

Byakuya rested his head on the backrest of the couch, balancing the icepack on the side of his face. "I… We were taking Ichigo to the Soul Society? That doesn't make any sense. On top of which, I don't remember doing it."

"Not at all?"

"I'm surprised I remember my own name the way you hit me in the head. Such force…"

"I have pretty good control over my strength. I didn't kill you and I could have. Very easily, I might add."

The Captain adjusted the icepack and tried to think back. What was he doing before? He remembered being in the study. He was reading. After that… "Wait. I think I sort of remember…" His voice trailed in and out as his thoughts became clearer. "Yes… I remember picking up Ichigo in my arms… and I remember him thrashing about… and… and I remember seeing you and after that… nothing. That must have been when you knocked me out."

"Must be." Victor stood up from the couch and went over to check on the others. He carefully checked their pulse and their breathing. He stood in front of Hanataro, tilting his head from side to side, examining his face. He looked at Hanataro's temple and saw a faint redness where he had made contact before. "He should be fine. I hit him in the same way I did you."

"And him?" Byakuya pointed to Yumichika who was slumped over the arm of the chair.

"No," he answered. "I cut off blood flow to his brain, making him pass out."

"So it was a sleeper hold?"

He picked Yumichika off the arm of the chair and sat him upright so his head was resting on the back, properly supported. "Both of them should be just fine. I'll endeavor to be more gentle in the future should this happen again."

"See that you do." Byakuya removed the icepack from his head and tapped his frozen temple. He couldn't tell which pain he liked less: the pain from the icepack or the pain from being hit. "What I don't understand is why we were trying to take Ichigo away. I don't remember why I was doing it. But I do remember that I made an attempt. The details aren't all there but…"

Victor took the icepack and Byakuya's hand in his and pressed them back to his head, silently instructing him to keep the ice on.

From the next room, Ichigo lifted his head from Linnette's lap and looked around. He knew at once that his Hollow had taken over again. Choosing not to be bothered by it, he got off the couch and went into the kitchen. Seeing that Victor was busy with Byakuya, he crept through to the dining room and then out into the back yard.

Ikkaku was sitting on the porch as usual, unaware of the events from earlier. Ichigo himself was unaware that anything out of the ordinary had happened. His Hollow was the one in control, not him. As far as he was concerned, everyone was still doing their own thing.

"Hey, Ikkaku."

"Yeah?"

"I need the Senkaimon again."

Ikkaku turned away. "I told you that would be the last time. I'm not doing it again."

"Come on! You-"

"Hey, if you want to get there so bad, you do it yourself. You're a Soul Reaper, aren't you?"

He was, but Ichigo hadn't much practice opening the Senkaimon. He would have to be a Soul Reaper, first of all. Ichigo looked down at his jeans and T-shirt, knowing he had to change. "Ah, fine." Ichigo turned around and went back into the house to change. He wasn't going to leave his body laying outside. He stood inside the dining room and pressed his Soul Badge to his chest, leaving his human body behind and changing into a Soul Reaper. As he made to go out again, he noticed one of Linnette's snacks on the counter. They looked like crepes. Ichigo looked around. Well, as long as he was going there…

Ichigo returned outside, drawing his sword. He plunged it into the air in front of him and turned it as if turning a key in a lock. The Senkaimon opened and Ichigo stepped inside. "I'll see you in a bit."

Ikkaku grunted and waved him off, returning to his cloud watching.

As the Senkaimon closed, Victor looked out the window, noticing two missing crepes and no one in the kitchen. He saw Ikkaku sitting on the porch alone and Cedric tending to his weeding. He went into the dining room, finding Ichigo's empty body laying propped up against the wall beside the wine collection. The suited man frowned, knowing no one was occupying the teen's body at the moment. Ichigo had left them once again for reasons unknown.

* * *

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	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter: 13**

To his great surprise, Veneno wasn't at Squad 12 or anywhere near the laboratory. Instead, he was pointed in the direction of Squad 11. The training grounds were bustling as normal for this area. Even without Ikkaku around, Ichigo still found himself dodging bodies, thrown from open windows in the main dojo and over hedges. This Squad was certainly lively.

Ichigo found his way over to a fountain where the sweaty Squad members washed themselves off and chatted. Today, they were welcoming a newcomer to their watering hole. A thin man with brown hair was handed a towel and received pats on the back for a job well done. As he turned, Ichigo saw who it was and hurried forward. "Veneno!"

He turned his body, just as a member ruffled his hair, exposing his horn. With his back turned to them, no one noticed. As soon as the hand was gone, his hair fell back into place, hiding it. Even so, Ichigo threw the towel over his head and took Veneno by the shoulders, leading him away.

"Aw, come on, Kurosaki," said a beefy brawler, throwing an arm around both of them. "We like this guy. Don't tell me you're taking him away like that Akon guy way earlier."

"Yeah. This guy's alright."

Ichigo pushed them off and pulled Veneno aside. "Nothing personal. I just wanted to hang out with him for a little while myself."

"Oh, alright…" The men started to back off, laughing and punching each other playfully in the arm. "Let's leave the kids alone for a while. Right, boys?"

Ichigo ignored them and kept his hand on Veneno's head, keeping the towel in place. "What are you doing all the way over here with these guys? These guys don't mess around. They're real tough."

"Yeah, I know," Veneno said through the towel. "So am I. They told me so." He curled the corner of the towel up, revealing his smile. "They like me. They say I'm good. I know how to fight."

"You do?" Ichigo was taken aback by this. The Veneno standing before him now was so timid and oblivious most of the time, incapable of harming a fly. He was actually good at fighting and was able to keep up with these brutes? Then again, given the old Veneno who gave Ichigo a run for his money, it didn't seem too farfetched.

"So you came to visit me again," Veneno chirped, happy to see him. Well, hear him. If it wasn't for this towel, he would be able to see his orange-haired friend. He started to pull off the towel. His neck-length hair fell onto his face, blocking his vision. He brushed it back with one hand and laid eyes on the dark clad Ichigo.

His head started to throb the moment he caught sight of Ichigo dressed like this. He looked like a normal Soul Reaper. They were dressed so similar. This was nothing he wasn't used to seeing on a day-by-day basis. But for some reason, it caused the hair of the back of his neck to stand on end. Up until now, Ichigo had always shown up in human clothing. He was never dressed like this. This was a first. And it hurt. Veneno's head began to throb worse and he bent his knees as if someone had hit him from behind with a bat.

Ichigo grabbed his elbows, supporting him. "Are you ok?"

He moaned, holding his head. "I… I don't know… My head hurts all of a sudden…"

"Did they hit you too hard or something?"

"N- no… It's just…" Veneno forced himself to look up into Ichigo's worried face. That look was so familiar. Worry. Deep concern for him. Ichigo cared. He could see it in his eyes. It made his temples sting. Then, slowly, the pain melted away and he was able to stand on his own. "S- sorry about that. Just a random headache."

"You seem to get those a lot, don't you?"

"It's nothing. I'm fine. It's gone. See?" Veneno stood up, grinning. He took the towel from his shoulders and tossed it over to the pile on the ground where the others had left theirs. He turned back to Ichigo. "So you wanted to hang out with me?"

"Uh… Y- yeah." Ichigo brushed off Veneno's headache and drove his hand into his kimono, pulling out the poorly wrapped crepes. "You hungry?"

"Always. Whatcha got?" Veneno poked his nose at the foreign object in Ichigo's hand.

"Crepes. Come on."

They went over to a tree a safe distance away from the training area to eat their snack. They sat in the grass together, enjoying the shade. Veneno seemed wary of the snack given to him at first, but since Ichigo always gave him such good treats, he quickly got over it and took a bite of the crepe. "Hm."

"You like it?"

"It's ok. I like cake better." He took another bite and discovered the fresh strawberries inside. Then he bit into a banana and frowned slightly. He liked the taste of the strawberries better.

Ichigo looked up at the sky poking through the branches overhead. The sunbeams, though mostly blocked by the leaves hurt his eyes. He looked away at the building fencing them in. It was nice to be in a garden and eat under a tree like this. It was very peaceful. Sunlight bounced off the white walls of the tall buildings, making it look like an ivory castle. The silky white stone path leading into the garden invited passersby like an escort beckoning a guest. Ichigo felt very at home in a place like this.

The one feeling most at home was the man licking his fingers to his right. Now that he was finished with his snack, Veneno turned his body sideways and flopped down onto Ichigo's lap. The teen flinched, unprepared, and looked down. "What are you doing?"

"Relaxing a little," he answered simply. He found nothing wrong with this position and decided to stay in it. Using Ichigo's legs for a pillow, Veneno made himself comfortable and stretched out.

Ichigo allowed this and looked away, hoping no one saw them. It was a little embarrassing having another man laying in his lap like this. Ichigo took another bite of his crepe, dropping a strawberry onto Veneno's shoulder. Veneno picked it up with his fingers and ate it without hesitation. "So where's Akon?" Ichigo finally asked.

"He's working in the lab. I told him I wanted to hang out here for a little bit. I told him where I'd be."

"And he allowed this?"

He shrugged. "Well… he was against it at first… But he had work to do. He said he would come get me for lunch or if he needed my help. He can get more work done without me around."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No. But I figured it out."

Ichigo ate the rest of the crepe and wiped his hand off on his hakama. "So… are you and Akon getting along?"

He nodded, the back of his head digging into Ichigo's leg. "Yeah. But all we ever do is work. I think I like hanging out with you better. We actually have fun."

"So you don't have fun working?"

"No, I do. It's just I'm not supposed to stop and I have to work as long as they say. It's nice to just hang around and do nothing."

"Tell me about it."

Veneno turned his head to the side, looking at the sidewalk leading into the grass. "We talk about things."

"Like what?"

He hesitated. "Ichigo… Do you have dreams?"

"Yeah. Everyone does."

"Are they always the same?"

He looked down. "Huh?"

"It's just…" He turned onto his shoulder, looking up at Ichigo. "I always have the same dream. Well, kind of dream. I was wondering if that was normal."

"So, like, a recurring dream?"

He looked away then looked back. "Well, what kind of things do you dream about?"

"Me? Well…" Ichigo tried to think of the dreams he could remember. "I have dreams that could be normal. Like, they could really happen. For example, I had a dream not too long ago about going to class, but I couldn't understand what was written on the board. Then suddenly it was lunchtime and I ate with my friends. It could have really happened, but it was a dream. Then I have weird dreams."

"Weird how?"

"Well, let's take the school example. I once had a dream were I came to school in the wrong uniform. I was wearing a girl's; skirt and everything."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And I was freaking out, not because I was in the wrong uniform but because I was wearing a skirt and forgot to shave my legs."

Veneno burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" Ichigo was fighting back to urge to laugh as well, but mostly from the embarrassment. "I told my sister about the dream and she teased me by giving me her uniform for class! I have no idea why I told her! I should have just lied or something."

Veneno was still laughing.

"Shut up!"

"Any others like that?"

Ichigo looked away.

"Oh, come on! This is fun! Especially since I don't have dreams like this."

"Makes you feel like you dodged a bullet, right?" He looked down into Veneno's expectant face and sighed. "Alright… Let's see." He tried to think of another one. "Um… I once dreamed that I had to get to school in a boat. I don't remember too many of the details. Then I have dreams that make no sense at all. Those ones are weird because when you're having the dream, it makes sense but after you wake up, you're like 'what the hell was that?' and it's just… weird. Like I'm at the post office to get lunch."

"Weird."

"I know!"

"Are all dreams like that?" Veneno asked innocently.

"No. I've had some really awesome dreams before." Ichigo smiled remembering one off the top of his head. It was always one of his favorites. "I like the dreams where I'm flying."

"Flying dreams?"

"Yeah. I had this one dream where I'm in gym class and we're running laps. I couldn't get in front of the other students so I flew over them. I circled the gym and all eyes were on me. I got all the attention and everyone was so impressed with me."

"Are they all like that?"

"No. Another time I had this dream were I was walking around school. There was nothing to do and I had nowhere to be. So I decided to fly. I just jumped up and flew. No one paid attention in this one. It was like flying was normal or something."

Veneno was smiling at him like a child being told an interesting bedtime story. His eyes pleaded with Ichigo to tell more, but it was time for him to tell Ichigo some of his dreams.

"What are your dreams like, Veneno?"

"My dreams?"

Ichigo nodded, wanting to know. It was nothing more than pure curiosity.

Veneno relaxed his shoulders and neck, allowing his head to dip forward, no longer looking up at Ichigo. "Well… It's like I said. It's always the same kind of dream. Different things happen but… it's always the same."

"I'd like to hear it. I told you mine. Fair is fair."

Veneno bent his knee, raising himself into a better position. His head pressed into Ichigo's leg but he didn't say a word against it. He wanted Veneno to be comfortable. "Well… in my dreams… I always see these people. They're dressed like Soul Reapers but their eyes and mannerisms are different. They all have these black and yellow eyes. Like wolves. I've seen pictures of wolves in books and things and they have similar eyes."

Eyes like a Hollow's.

"And they're always stumbling around, growling and snapping at things. And I had a dream the other night where I'm talking to myself. I was standing in front of another me, talking to him. This me was dressed all in white but he looked the same."

Ichigo looked down at him. His movement caused Veneno to look up. "These dreams you have… they're all like that?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I always see these people. The other night was when I saw another me in a dream and I was talking with him. All the dreams are from my perspective. Like I was there."

Ichigo sat back against the tree. These weren't dreams. These were memories. "Have… have you told Akon about these dreams?"

"Yeah. But he doesn't seem too interested in them anymore. I guess it's because they're all the same. It gets boring after awhile. I told him about my dreams for the past couple of days but he said it's nothing to worry about and they're just dreams. So I stopped telling him."

Veneno looked up through the leaves fanning them in the breeze. He had another dream last night but he didn't want to tell Ichigo about it. It didn't make much sense to him. It involved one of those strange people getting hurt and he placed his hands on them and they healed, then stood up and staggered off. He must have had healing powers in the dream. His dreams seemed very real to him, as if they could really happen. After all, every one of them took place in an area which looked remarkably similar to this one. The walls and buildings were all the same. And all those people looked like Soul Reapers, only mutated.

He moved further up Ichigo's leg, resting his head on his upper thigh. He felt Ichigo tense up but thought nothing of it and turned his head to the side. "What are you doing now?" he heard him ask.

Veneno stretched out and rolled onto his left side. "It's peaceful here. I want to relax."

Ichigo looked down at Veneno's closed eyes. He touched Veneno's shoulder. "Are you really going to take a nap on me like this?"

"Why not? You don't make a bad pillow." He brought his hand up and rested it on Ichigo's knee. Ichigo's body was warm. Veneno curled up on the grass and prepared to take a nap. "Besides… it's really nice out here. Isn't it?"

Ichigo looked up at the waving leaves in the wind, fluttering overhead. The cool shade they provided. The smell and touch of grass. The cool ground and the warmth coming from the person nearby. A satisfying snack. No one around in this fenced in garden. Such tranquility couldn't be passed up. He understood why Veneno wanted to take this chance to enjoy it.

Ichigo remembered one of Veneno's regrets from before. It was never being able to relax under a tree and take a nap in a garden in the middle of the afternoon. It was a simple request. A lovely desire which harmed no one and nothing. Ichigo didn't have the heart to refuse him. He would swallow the embarrassment for now and let Veneno do what he always wanted. Ichigo rested his head on the trunk of the tree and let Veneno rest.

Around the corner, Akon was having a panic attack. He had left Veneno at the training hall to satisfy his curiosity and restlessness while he did his work in the lab. Now he couldn't find him. He wasn't in the training hall and he wasn't in the yard. The other Squad members hadn't seen him for the last twenty minutes. This wasn't good. What would the Captain do to him if he discovered that he had lost Veneno? Akon searched the area. He had to find him.

"I hope he didn't wander off and get himself lost!" Akon looked behind bushes and in windows. He left no stone unturned. Veneno could be anywhere. Even in the oddest of places. This was what happened when panic settled in. The search could be taken to just about anywhere. Akon even looked in a birdhouse, he was so desperate. Of course he wouldn't be in there, but he was unable to control himself and looked anywhere he could think of.

As he ran passed a garden, he caught a glimpse of someone with orange hair and did a double-take. Ichigo was sitting against a tree with Veneno dosing in his lap. Akon breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't lost the experiment. He hurried forward, calling their names.

Ichigo nudged Veneno with his hand. He was dozing lightly so it didn't take much prodding. When he saw Akon running towards them, he sprang up, fearing he was in trouble, supporting himself on Ichigo's leg with his elbow. "Ouch!" Ichigo lifted Veneno's arm off his upper thigh before it could dig any further into where his leg met his hip.

"Sorry."

Akon stood in front of them, panting. "Where were you? I thought I told you to stay put. Don't go running off like that. I was worried something happened to you and you were lost or hurt or something."

"Sorry," he said again.

The 3rd Seat sighed again. "I guess it's no big deal. Let's go."

"Are we going back to the lab to work or is it time for lunch?"

Akon paused. "Well, I am kind of hungry and I just finished helping my staff with a few things… Your call. What do you want to do?"

"Lunch!" Veneno punched the sky with his fist, excited.

"Ok, then let's go."

Happy to hear it, Veneno pulled Ichigo to his feet, asking him to join them. Akon looked at them disapprovingly. It was no secret that he wanted Ichigo to return to his mission in the World of the Living. But he did have a soft spot he wanted to keep hidden that was causing him to feel a sense of compassion towards this experiment. No matter how many times he tried to think of Veneno as nothing more than a Gigai, he just couldn't help but see him as a real person with real feelings and wants. It was only a matter of time before he came to see Veneno as an equal. He couldn't let that happen. He'd never hear the end of it if it was learned that he had developed an attachment to the Captain's experiment. Knowing such things was putting him in a bad mood. All this stress wasn't good for him.

What made matters worse was that Ichigo was picking up on these feelings. Perhaps that was why he kept returning to this world, to take Veneno off his hands. Ichigo told him that he was here to see that Veneno was given a second chance, but Akon had to question his motives.

As they walked, Veneno kept looking up at the sky, admiring the clouds. He heard birds chirping and turned to find them. Two small birds were sitting on a roof exchanging songs. As they drew closer, they flew off. Veneno watched them go then turned around, not giving them another thought.

Then a shiver went up his spine. Goosebumps appeared on his arms and he looked at the other men walking with him. They seemed to feel it, too. The air had changed. It had gotten suddenly colder. Ichigo and Akon looked at each other and then to Veneno.

"Is it me, or did it just get colder all of a sudden?"

They looked around. This wasn't a natural cold.

It was Spirit Pressure.

Ichigo looked at the street in front of them. From between two buildings, a Captain appeared. His snowy hair seemed to match the feeling in the air. "Toshiro!"

Akon turned to the Captain. "Captain Hitsugaya. What are you doing out this far from your Division? Is something the matter?"

Hitsugaya turned. Normally he would have corrected Ichigo by now for calling him by his first name. He was staring straight at him but he wasn't scolding him.

"Is everything alright, Captain?"

Hitsugaya's eyes never left Ichigo. "Ichigo."

The teen was hesitant to answer. "Uh… yeah?"

He took a step forward and beckoned him with his finger. "Come here."

Ichigo didn't move.

"I said come here."

He shook his head. He was getting a bad vibe from him. Something was wrong with the Captain.

A look of rage passed over his face and he drew his sword. "Come here now."

Ichigo refused. This made Hitsugaya even angrier. He brandished his sword and advanced towards them.

Akon stepped in front of them, holding his hands in front of his chest in a defenseless gesture. They had no reason or desire to fight him. "Captain, what's the matter? There's no reason to have your Zanpakuto drawn. We were-"

"Shut up! I want Ichigo! Get out of my way!"

Ichigo stepped backwards, pushing Veneno behind the building and out of sight. He had a bad feeling that someone was about to get hurt and Veneno had no means to defend himself with. He gave Akon a quick glance before turning his attention back to Hitsugaya. He wasn't backing down. In fact, he looked outraged that Akon was interfering.

Seeing that Ichigo wasn't about to come willingly, Hitsugaya fired a warning shot by their heads with his fingertips. A kido. "Ichigo, come here now! And don't you get in my way!"

"Why do you want-"

Ichigo pulled Akon out of the way as Hitsugaya fired another kido at his head. "Knock it off, Toshiro! You'll hurt someone!"

"I'll hurt anyone who tries to keep me from getting to you!" He pointed his sword at them again. "Now come!"

Ichigo refused. This couldn't have been the real Hitsugaya. It must have been an imposter or something. Ichigo couldn't think of another explanation.

Hitsugaya gave his sword a wave. "Reign Over the Frosted Heavens..!"

"Run!" Ichigo grabbed the two men and pulled them behind a building just as a wave of cold air came bursting through the street. Veneno shivered and looked at the puff of breath appearing before his mouth. It was much colder now.

Akon turned to Ichigo. "What the hell did you do to piss him off so much?"

"I didn't do anything!" Ichigo snapped. "I don't think that's Toshiro. Not the real one. He's got to be an imposter."

"Impossible. That's his Spirit Pressure, without a doubt."

"Then why's he attacking us?"

"Maybe you're under arrest or something."

"Me? What did I do?"

"How the hell should I know?"

A branch of ice appeared in front of them and Hitsugaya landed just on the other side, brandishing his weapon. He screamed, swinging at their heads. All three ducked simultaneously and ran down the street.

"Captain!" Akon called over his shoulder. "What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking us?"

"You're getting in my way! I told you to surrender Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"But why? Can't you tell us that?"

He swung again, creating a sheet of ice under their feet. "That is none of your concern! I'm taking him and that's that!"

"But why?"

Ichigo grabbed Akon and pulled him away. "Who cares?! The guy's gone nuts!"

Veneno clung to Ichigo's sleeve as he began to slip on the ice. "Who is that guy? Why's he attacking us?"

"I don't know!" Ichigo said, slipping as well. "Something's wrong with him. He's not thinking right. We have to get away from him."

Hitsugaya chased after them, swinging his sword from side to side. "Give Ichigo to me!" he bellowed. "Give him to me now!"

Akon grabbed them this time and pulled them into a building. They ducked under a widow, hoping the Captain would pass them by without looking inside. They heard the unmistakable creaking of ice and held their breath. The air had grown even colder. Ichigo tried not to shiver as the Captain approached.

"Do you take me for a fool?!"

The wall over Ichigo's head crumbled as the hilt of the Captain's Zanpakuto crashed through from the other side. He reached through the hole and grabbed the back of Ichigo's kimono. Ichigo felt himself being pulled off the ground and twisted back and forth. Hitsugaya wouldn't let go.

"Come here!"

"Leave him alone!" Veneno screamed and tried to pry Hitsugaya's hand off Ichigo's back. "Let go!"

"Hang on!" Akon tried his hand at it to no avail. The he applied a technique no one else thought of using. He forced his thumb into Hitsugaya's forearm, causing him incredible pain and releasing his grip of Ichigo. It was a pressure point. Akon helped Ichigo up and they ran to the back of the building and out the back door. Hitsugaya was screaming at them.

"I want Ichigo! Give him to me! Come back here!"

"I think you're right, Ichigo. He has lost his mind."

A sheet of ice formed under their feet and all three slipped and fell, sliding down the street from the momentum. Ichigo looked back and saw Hitsugaya coming at them from above. He instinctively reached for his sword then stopped. Not yet. It wasn't time for that yet. He had no way of knowing how this would play out. What if he ended up causing them all more problems by striking back? Instead he pushed Akon and Veneno out of the way and made himself an easy target. As Hitsugaya fell towards him, Ichigo fell back and planted his foot in the Captain's stomach, sending him over his head.

Akon reached out and pulled him off the ice and to safety. They moved behind another building. Hitsugaya was still cursing them and sending ice up and down streets and buildings. It wasn't long until they realized that he had succeeded in boxing them in.

"We have to try reasoning with him," said Akon. "He's a Captain. It's not like we're a match for him. Besides, attacking a Captain will get us thrown in jail faster than you can say 'Chappy'. Something's going on here and I'm going to find out what."

"I don't think you can reason with a crazy guy," Ichigo retorted.

"It's worth a try. Besides, he was fine this morning when I dropped off some paper work for him to fill out. Rangiku requested something but since she's not around, he has to sign for it."

"Maybe that's why he's pissed…"

"We'll reason with him and see what's up." Akon told them to stay behind the building while he confronted Hitsugaya. "Captain Hitsugaya? Sir, are you there?"

Hitsugaya landed between Akon and the wall of ice he had created. "Where is Ichigo?"

"I want to talk."

"Well, I don't! Where's Ichigo?"

"Why do you want him so badly?"

"I don't know! I just do! You can't keep him from me!"

"Do you hear how you sound right now? This isn't you, Captain."

Hitsugaya waved his sword. "I'm warning you…"

"We're just talking. Calm down."

"Tell me where he is! Where are you hiding him?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that. I want to know why-"

"Don't get in my way or I'll kill you! I'll kill anyone who tries to keep him from me!" Hitsugaya gave his sword an upward swing as if he were rolling a ball and a jagged stream of ice was sent straight for Akon. Thinking fast, he blocked with a kido.

"Captain! Please, don-"

"Shut up and hand him over!"

Akon tried restraining the Captain at the same time Hitsugaya sent another jagged wall of ice toward him. The two attacks collided with disastrous results. There was an explosion and Hitsugaya was thrown back into his own ice wall, smashing his head and landing in a heap, sword knocked from his hand. The explosion shattered the ice and Akon was right in the path of multiple ice shards. One sliced open his neck and blood began to pour from his wound.

"Akon!"

He fell back, holding his neck with both hands, trying to stop the bleeding. Ichigo and Veneno rushed to his aid. His jugular was severed and he was gushing blood. There was already a massive puddle under him. Akon's eyes were wide, realizing how bad this was. This was a serious injury.

"Akon!" Ichigo tried putting pressure on the wound but it wasn't enough. He was losing too much blood. "Oh, crap!" He looked around. No one was around and with the walls of ice surrounding them, help wouldn't arrive soon enough.

"Is he ok?" Veneno asked, panicked. "What do we do?"

"I don't know! I don't know!"

Akon's eyes were starting to roll and his breathing was getting quicker. His hands were starting to fall from the wound. Ichigo forced him to hold on, pressing his own hand over the wound and Akon's hands.

"Don't, Akon! Stay awake! Keep putting pressure on it!"

He was getting paler. He was losing too much blood.

"Damn it!" Ichigo looked around for help. He felt so helpless. "If only there was a medic nearby… Squad 4 is too far away and he can't travel like this. We can't leave him and we'll never make it in time no matter what we do. He needs help now!"

Akon gargled and his eyes started to roll back again.

"Akon! Akon!" What could he do? What was he supposed to do? How could Akon die from an injury like this? He couldn't let it happen. Not over something so stupid. He had to help him but he had no idea how.

Suddenly, Veneno looked up. "W- wait… Ichigo, I think I can help him."

"Veneno I don't think-"

"Trust me! Let me try!" He moved closer. "Ichigo, move your hand."

"If I do that then he'll bleed out!"

"Trust me! I want to try something. Please!"

Maybe he really did trust him, maybe it was hopeful thinking or maybe he was too numb with shock to protest. Either way, Ichigo let go and sat back letting Veneno do what he wanted.

Taking in a deep breath, Veneno rubbed his hands together then placed them on Akon, one near the wound and the other on his forehead. He set them there and waited. Akon seemed to be growing weaker. This wasn't helping.

Then Akon shut his eyes tight, moaning. His legs pointed outward and then bent. He moaned again, louder. He was beginning to sweat. The blood stopped flowing. He moaned again, even louder than before.

Ichigo watched, fascinated. Then his eyes grew wide.

Akon opened his mouth with a growl. His teeth elongated into fangs. His body twitched and turned as waves of pain seemed to pulsate through him. He writhed and squirmed. His eyes opened and Ichigo looked into the deep yellow and black eyes of a Hollow. The wound on Akon's neck bubbled and boiled. Then the muscle and tissue began to knit back together. The skin stretched and met in the middle, stitching back together, leaving not even a scar. He was healing. No, it was regeneration. Just like Byakuya when he was a Hollow Reaper and had his face sliced open. Veneno had re-infected Akon with the Hollow virus, turning him into a Hollow Reaper again in order to save him.

Veneno pulled back once the wound was healed and Akon was able to move. He opened his mouth repeatedly, growling. He laid eyes on Ichigo and reached out for him with his left hand. Ichigo backed away, knowing how contagious the virus was. Akon snarled and started to lift himself up, trying to reach Ichigo. Then, as if losing all strength, his hand fell to the ground and Akon laid back, closing his eyes with a moan. His fangs started to disappear and he relaxed.

Ichigo looked at Veneno who was still watching Akon closely. He tapped Akon's forehead and called his name. Akon frowned, moaning. It was as if Veneno were trying to rouse him from a nap. He was still alive. But he needed medical attention.

Veneno looked at Ichigo who was staring at him with wide eyes. Sensing that he may have done something wrong, Veneno looked down shamefully.

"What did you just do?" Ichigo asked slowly, unable to shake the feeling of fear and worry from his mind. Veneno just turned Akon into a Hollow Reaper and then changed him back after he was healed.

Veneno looked down. "I… saw it in a dream I had last night," he answered. He started to tug on the front of his kimono nervously. He looked like a child awaiting punishment for something he knew was wrong. But Veneno thought he had done a good thing by saving Akon's life. This was a power he didn't know he had. He had only seen it in a dream. It was something he wanted to try out of desperation and curiosity. He wasn't sure if it would work or not but he wanted to try anyway. It was taking a real chance. "I just wanted to help. Are you mad?"

"Huh?" Ichigo shook away his shock, taken by surprise by Veneno's question and look of guilt.

"Did I do something wrong? Was that bad what I just did? Are you mad at me?"

He was worried. He was constantly seeking approval from people and rediscovering things about himself he had forgotten. He didn't know if this was right or wrong. He didn't want Ichigo to be angry with him for something he had done, not knowing if it was wrong or not.

"No. I'm not mad," Ichigo told him. "You saved him. You were trying to help, like you said."

Veneno looked into Ichigo's eyes, no longer feeling ashamed. When he saw Ichigo's approving eyes, he smiled, feeling much better. He had done good.

Voices started to fluttered from rooftops. "What happened? Is everything ok? Are you alright? What's going on? Is the Captain with you? Who's over there?" Soul Reapers were asking.

Ichigo waved to them with his arms. "Over here! We need help! There's been an injury!"

Soul Reapers jumped down and landed beside Akon's body. "What happened here? Is he dead?"

Akon moaned, his hand twitching.

"Hey! He's alive! Hurry up! Let's get him some help!"

"Who is it? Who's injured?"

"It looks like Akon from Squad 12, I think. Let's move!"

Soul Reapers started to surround his body, trying to figure out the best way to move him. "Let's take him to Squad 4. Hurry."

Ichigo looked over at the body laying on the ground by the ice wall. "Toshiro's over there, too. He needs help."

Soul Reapers started to come over and look at the fallen body. "Hey! Captain down! We need help!"

"Captain Hitsugaya's over there? Is he hurt? What happened?"

"Hurry up!"

Ichigo looked back at Veneno who was watching the men carry Akon away as carefully as they could without a stretcher. He looked back at Ichigo, looking worried. Ichigo nodded to him and smiled. "He's going to be fine."

Even with those words of comfort, Veneno still looked worried.

* * *

Things seem to be getting worse.

Please review ^-^


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Squad 4 wasn't as busy as they normally were whenever Ichigo visited. However, when word got out that a Captain was injured while not on an assignment, everyone was bustling about. Ichigo stayed by the wall letting people pass by while he waited for news of the two fallen Soul Reapers.

Finally Unohana left one of the rooms and closed the door softly. Ichigo stood up from the wall and came over at once. "Well? How are they?"

She smiled at him. "Both are just fine. The Captain sustained no major injuries. In fact, all his injuries were minor. Not even a concussion."

"Really?" Ichigo was relieved but not surprised. No one fought back and chose to avoid him instead. The only strike he received was from the kido blasting him into the ice wall. He was unharmed otherwise. "What about Akon?"

Unohana motioned to one of the rooms. "He's doing just fine. He's resting. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for the blood on his lab coat, I wouldn't know he was injured."

"Really?"

"Yes. I couldn't find any markings on him at all. Whatever wound he had on his neck has healed by now."

So it was regeneration after all. Veneno saved his life.

Still, in the past Veneno told Ichigo that the only way he could change someone back to normal was if he were to die. Was that a lie? Could he reverse it willingly all this time? Or maybe his powers had changed from back then. Ichigo wasn't sure.

"By the way, has Toshiro said anything about what happened?"

Unohana looked troubled. "He admitted attacking you unprovoked. However, he can't remember the reason why. He said it was as if he were attacking on orders but couldn't remember anything else. Even parts of your conflict are sketchy. But he does apologize. He is sorry."

"I see. No problem." There was something going on. He couldn't believe that this was over so easily and with no further explanation than that. This was wrong. "Can I talk to him?"

Unohana shook her head, stepping in his path. "No, no. He's resting, too. No visitors."

"I see." Now what?

"I think it's best that you go about your day and not worry. They're both doing just fine. There's no need to worry at all."

"Ok. Thanks." Ichigo gave a short bow of thanks and left down the hall to where Veneno was waiting. He was pacing back and forth in the hall, unable to sit still. He stopped when he saw Ichigo and looked at him expectantly. He wanted the news, whatever it was. "They're fine. They're both going to live."

Veneno let out the breath he had been holding with a long deep sigh. "That's good…" Then he looked up again looking concerned. "Why did he attack us? What did we do?"

Ichigo stepped beside Veneno and gave him a nudge, telling him to walk. The two walked down the hall side by side. "He said he doesn't remember why he attacked but he's very sorry. He didn't mean it."

"Then why did he do it?"

"I don't know. He doesn't know either. But it wasn't his fault. I'm sure there's a reason for it. Maybe he was sick or something and went a little crazy. Like I said, he's sorry. He said so himself."

"And Akon? What about him? Is he ok, too?"

"Yup. He's doing just fine."

"Then why didn't he come out of that room?"

"Because he needs to rest. Unohana doesn't want him to get hurt again." Ichigo tried to think of a way to explain it. Half the time he spoke with Veneno, it was like talking to a child who didn't know any better. "You know how when you move around a lot for a while and then you need to stop and rest because you feel tired and a little dizzy? That's how it is for him. He needs to rest and catch his breath."

"Oh." Veneno knew this from running around the lab on various missions and after sparing with the men in Squad 11 for ten minutes. They knew how to put pressure on him. He needed to rest, too, after that. "What should I do in the meantime?" he asked.

"Well… why don't you go back to your room and rest for a while. If Akon needs you, he'll come get you. Or you can spar more with the guys from Squad 11 if you want."

Veneno gave it some thought. "I think I'll go back to my room."

"That's a good idea. And don't worry. Akon's going to be fine."

"Yeah. I'm sure he'll… be…"

Ichigo stopped as Veneno halted in front of a room. He was looking inside. "Ven..?"

He seemed to be in a daze. Without answering, Veneno walked into the room. Ichigo followed.

There were rows of beds on either side of the room. White sheets and pillows. Thin curtains fluttering in front of the open windows. The wooden end tables were clear of all clutter. The floor was polished and smelled like soapy water. There was an open cabinet with empty pitchers and glass cups by a sink in the back of the room. Veneno stood in the middle of the room looking around, transfixed. It was a room of recovery. He knew that. But there was something unsettling about it.

Veneno closed his eyes and opened them again. He faced the windows. He could see the buildings through the thin eggshell curtains and the muffled conversations happening below. He looked to his left. There was a row of beds neatly kept and waiting beside him. No. That was wrong. He looked again, staring. There was a tower of mattresses now, like a white soft throne. They were stacked up tall, almost reaching the ceiling. It was inviting. He wanted to climb up and sit atop this soft pile. He reached forward but his hand grasped nothing but air. He blinked and the vision disappeared. He backed up, surprised and suspicious of the change around him. It must have been a hallucination.

Veneno felt strange. He heard Ichigo's footsteps on the tiled floor, interrupting his thoughts. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"I…" Veneno looked at the beds which had now returned to their original state, lined in a neat row, reflecting the row opposite. "I think… I've been here before… Though I know I haven't."

"Oh?"

He turned and saw Ichigo. He stared. From where Ichigo was standing, at his perspective, it looked like Ichigo was sitting in bed looking at him. In bed. Looking at him. Veneno's brain tingled. Those beds should be bigger. And more pillows. A lot more.

Ichigo didn't know why Veneno was staring at him the way he was but it was very uncomfortable for him. He took a step to the side. Veneno came closer, looking at him and the bed. "Uh… What are you..?"

Without warning, Veneno put both hands on Ichigo's chest and shoved him onto the bed. Ichigo bounced on the mattress and sat up.

"What are you-?"

Veneno pushed him back down and started moving around the room frantically. He removed the pillows from the beds along the wall and tossed them at Ichigo. Then he pulled an end table from the wall and pushed one of the beds into Ichigo's. Then a third. Three beds were pushed together making one large one. Veneno came rushing back and pushed Ichigo onto the middle mattress and sat on the edge of the first bed.

For the third time Ichigo began his question and failed to finish. "What are you…?" Then he realized what Veneno had done. He had recreated the scene from the first moment they met in the sickbay, minus the mattress tower.

Veneno sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at his feet. Then he turned and looked at Ichigo with big eyes, staring. This was so familiar. He felt compelled to construct this scene but he didn't know why. As he looked at Ichigo surrounded by pillows in this large bed staring straight back at him, Veneno felt his heart pound in his chest. "I… I think I know this…" He sat facing Ichigo, his eyes even bigger. "I remember seeing this, I think. You were there and I was here and…"

His head started to throb.

Ichigo crawled over to him. "You mean you've seen this before?"

He nodded. "Yeah… I think so but I… I don't exactly… I mean…" Veneno clasped his skull in his right hand. "Ow! My head!"

"Take it easy." Ichigo grabbed Veneno and pulled him away from the bed and out into the hall. He needed to get away from there. As soon as he was out, Veneno seemed to calm down. "Are you ok?"

He looked back into the room. "Why do I feel like I've seen this before? Like I know it…" He looked back at Ichigo. "I don't think I've been here before but… I feel like I have. What does this mean?"

Ichigo started walking, forcing Veneno to follow. He felt Veneno clinging to his arm the entire way, wanting him to slow down and answer him.

"Ichigo wait. Please." He held Ichigo back with a surprisingly strong grip. "I can't shake this feeling. Like I've been there before and I've seen you there with me and the room was different and… But I don't. I don't know. What's going on? Can you tell me?"

The teen stopped. How could he answer? What was he supposed to do?

"I can't remember anything that's happened to me before last week. I asked Akon if I had amnesia but… What I saw back there and how I feel… It could have been a dream but it seemed too real to me. Was it a memory I've forgotten or something else? I don't understand what's happening to me." He gave Ichigo a worried look. "Am I getting what that Captain had? Am I going to go crazy, too?"

Ichigo forced himself to laugh at his questions. "No, I doubt that. Sometimes we get like that and fantasize something. It's called a daydream."

"A daydream?"

"Yeah. But you never know for sure." Ichigo tried to comfort him without letting on that he knew something more.

Veneno frowned again looking worried. "I asked Akon if I would ever recover my memories from before. He said he wasn't sure and that I didn't need them which is why I forgot them in the first place. But still, I want to know. I've tried to remember before but I don't know what I'm supposed to remember so it doesn't work so I gave up. Then there are times like this when I feel like I am remembering something I've forgotten but then I get scared… like I'm about to remember something really bad that I don't want to remember. I don't know what do to." Veneno's breathing was quickening. "I don't know. I just don't…"

Ichigo reached out and grabbed Veneno, holding him. Veneno stopped speaking. Ichigo could feel his whole body shaking. He tried to calm him down. "It's ok. You don't have to worry. If you're meant to remember then you will. Don't try to force it. It only makes things worse. Understand? Memories are like that. No one can remember everything. We're not meant to. Just calm down and don't worry."

Veneno couldn't move in the hold Ichigo had him in. After a moment, he no longer wished to. Being held like this was comforting. He stopped shaking and shut his eyes, trying not to think anymore.

"Feeling better?"

He nodded against Ichigo's chest. "Yeah…" He pulled his arms up and wrapped them around Ichigo's back, returning the hug. He always seemed to know what to say and do to make him feel better. There was something about Ichigo that he liked. He couldn't explain it. "Ichigo… I'm glad you're my friend."

Hearing that made Ichigo's heart skip a beat.

"Thank you."

He thanked him. Ichigo didn't know what to say. Now he was the one who was tense. All this time he wanted Veneno to have a second chance and see that Soul Reapers weren't bad people and that they could get along. All Veneno ever wanted was to have a friend. He wanted Ichigo's friendship. Now he had it. And he was grateful.

Ichigo patted Veneno's head and started to pull away. "Don't mention it." He looked around to see if anyone was watching them. He would hate it if someone saw him hugging Veneno. Normally he handled these situations differently with his friends. But he also knew that each friend was different. If Renji or Uryu were acting this way, he would yell or punch one of them until they calmed down and settled things. If it were someone like Orihime who was very sensitive, he would talk gently to her and hold her hand or give her a hug if she needed it. He also had practice when dealing with ghost children he found in his town. He knew yelling at a crying little girl would get him nowhere. He would smile and be friendly to her until she calmed down and smiled back. He would hold hands and compliment her to establish trust. He knew Veneno would have to be dealt with in a similar way. Yelling at him was useless and hitting him would do nothing but strike fear into his heart. There was no way he would trust him then. So he had to be gentle and do what he did in the children's cast. After all, the way he was now, Veneno was a child. He didn't know any better and needed supervision on almost everything. Even if he didn't want to hug Veneno, he knew that's what he needed so he sucked it up for his sake.

Feeling much better Veneno smiled at him. "Thanks for being my friend, Ichigo."

"You don't have to say it. You're a good guy so why wouldn't I be?" He patted Veneno's back and looked around. "You should probably get back to your room and I'd better get back to what I was doing."

"You're leaving again?"

"I'm not supposed to be here, remember? I'm on a mission with some people. I only come here to see you." He looked for the door leading out. "I'll come back as soon as I can to check up on things and hang out, ok? Now I'd better get back before I get in trouble."

Veneno nodded and looked around for an exit. "I'd better not keep you then. But you'll be back soon, right?"

"I always do, don't I?"

He smiled and turned towards the first door he found. "Then I'll see you soon."

* * *

The streetlights were lit when Ichigo returned to the World of the Living. Leaving a world of daylight and entering a world of night made him feel like he had been gone ages rather than a few minutes, traveling from one world to the next. Ichigo moved to open the sliding glass door but it was opened for him by Cedric. He didn't look pleased.

"Uh… hi. Uh, sorry I left without-"

"We were worried." Cedric pulled him inside as if Ichigo weighed no more than a piece of paper. He set him on the carpeted dining room floor and closed the doors, locking them. Ichigo swallowed. Cedric did not want him to leave again.

When he walked into the kitchen, he noticed everyone gathered together looking troubled. The moment she saw him, Rukia ran forward and punched him in the stomach. "Where have you been?!" she shouted.

"Ow! What?"

"We were worried sick about you! You just ran off and after something like this!"

"Like what? What happened while I was gone?" Was there a Hollow attack and he wasn't aware of it? They must have been in danger and he wasn't there to protect them.

"If you were here when we discussed it, you'd know the situation." Rukia folded her arms and turned her body sideways. "Something happened with three of our members. It happened when your Hollow was in control."

"Well, what happened?"

"Byakuya, Yumichika and Hanataro tried to take you to the Soul Society."

Ichigo stood up straight now that his stomach had stopped hurting. "So? I just came from there. I was… visiting Akon in Squad 12." He couldn't let them know about Veneno. Not yet.

"Ichigo, they were taking you away by force! They were carrying you off and they even attacked Victor when he tried to talk to them."

"They did?" Ichigo's head turned towards the man making a blackcurrant pavlova for a snack.

He nodded, catching the boy's worried glance. "That's correct. They would not tell me why they were taking you and they attacked when I pried for information. I managed to get you back and stop them."

"How?"

"Hit them in the head. Two of them, at least."

"Yeah, thanks a lot…" Yumichika turned away.

"Aw, don't be upset. I didn't hit you so you don't have to worry about any unsightly bumps."

"Getting back…" Ichigo said. "What happened? Why did you guys do that?"

"We don't know," answered Byakuya. "I remember doing it but I don't remember why. It was as if I had a good reason but once I came to my senses, the reason was gone from my mind."

"Yes, it wasn't that they were unresponsive. They knew full well what they were doing."

"Maybe they were being controlled?"

"No. We ruled that out. They didn't act like they were being manipulated. They maintained their unique individual personalities. It's as Byakuya said, they knew what they were doing but cannot remember why."

"But why me? Why were they after me? And why were they trying to take me to the Soul Society?"

"We don't know. No one does."

Hanataro clung to his glass of juice with both hands, looking frightened. "I… I was helping them but… I don't remember why. I knew that Captain Kuchiki was a Captain and therefore the authority over me. When he tells me to do something, I do it. But… but I was helping them for a reason. I know I was but I can't remember that reason."

"Do you think a Hollow might be involved? This could be our mission," said Rangiku.

"It's true," said Rukia. "Why else would they send more people to help us out if the danger weren't as intense as we originally thought? This must be why my brother and Hanataro came along. There's more to this than we thought."

Victor and Byakuya glanced at each other for a moment. Their eyes connected. They both knew Rukia was smart enough to reach that kind of conclusion. The danger was worse than they thought.

"What if a Hollow is involved?" asked Ikkaku. "What does this mean? I mean, is this a normal Hollow or what? I didn't sense anything when all this went down and I was in the next yard."

"Maybe it's not a tangible Hollow. What if it can manipulate our thoughts and have us react in certain ways?" added Rangiku. "How are we supposed to fight something like that?"

"I'll help," offered Linnette. "If there's a Hollow around, I'll know for sure. I'll sing and flush it out or control it and make it stop. I'll use my power to help you guys."

Most of the Soul Reapers looked nervous, but Ichigo and Rukia both agreed with her idea. "That's a good plan. If there is a Hollow involved, at least then we'll know."

Victor rubbed Linnette's back and kissed the top of her head. "That's good thinking, sweetie. Just be careful."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Ichigo asked.

"While you were gone, we went over everything and decided to wait and observe. Staying up all night looking out for something that may never show itself is foolish. It would have attacked before if it could. We still have very little information. The next time someone acts strangely, then we'll react and carry out Linnette's plan. Until then, we'll go about our normal routine and keep an eye out as we've been doing."

"So that's it? That's all we're doing?"

"Do you have a better idea, Ichigo?"

He backed down. With so little to go on and him not being aware of anything happening, coming up with a battle strategy would be next to impossible. Maybe it was easier to do things their way for now. The next time this happened, he would be ready. They all would. They just had to be on the lookout.

* * *

The night went by without incident. Everyone slept through the night without an issue and the next morning everyone got up and had breakfast in the kitchen. Everyone, including Linnette, was fully dressed. As usual, Yumichika and Rangiku fought for the bathroom.

"With a place this big, can't you guys have a second bathroom or something?"

"There's only three people living here and only one of them needs use of a bathroom," answered Cedric.

Once everyone was settled and breakfast was finished, Victor did the cleaning. It only took him five minutes to wash dishes, clean the table and put the food away. After that, he went over to a thin sheet of paper and wrote something down. Then he turned around. "Linnette, sweetie?"

"Yeah?" She was standing behind him, watching.

"I'm going to the store. Is there anything you need while I'm out?"

"I'll come, too. Can I?"

He nodded. "Alright, if that's what you want." Victor stood up and went into the den where most of the Soul Reapers were gathered. "I'm going into the city to do some shopping. Would anyone like to join us or have any requests?"

"I'll go," said Ichigo. "I'm a little restless today and everyone else has been shopping but me."

"Alright. Anyone else?"

Byakuya stood up, fully dressed in a gigai. "I'll join you."

Ichigo frowned. "What? You're going into the city? Really?"

"Why not? Besides, in regards to the incident, you'll need protection, as it seems."

"Yeah, from you..? Weren't you one of the guys trying to kidnap me in the first place?"

Byakuya didn't answer that. Ichigo wasn't too comfortable having Byakuya along and it wasn't just for that reason. He saw how big a pain the others were when it came to walking around the city. He could only imagine how bad Byakuya would be. He had more sense than the others, but he was a noble. How would he react to being in a place like this? Besides, Ichigo wanted to clear his mind for a day and not think about anything. Having Byakuya there would only stress him out further.

"He's in good hands," Victor said, placing a hand on Ichigo's shoulders. "You don't have to worry."

"Be that as it may, I'm coming."

Ichigo saw how the two were looking straight into each other's eyes and grew concerned. It was as if they had a history between them he was not yet aware of. Or was this their way of respecting each other and being friendly?

Victor turned Ichigo towards the front door. "Alright, if that's what you want…" Linnette was already getting on her shoes. She stood by the door and waited for Victor, her hand on the knob. It seemed she was trained not to open the door without them by her side. Victor gave her a nod and she swung the door open. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Cedric, keep an eye on things."

"Alright."

Victor closed the door once everyone was outside. Then he walked down the stone path towards the garage, taking out a set of keys. The door opened automatically. Ichigo was used to seeing doors like these so he didn't think anything of it. Byakuya on the other hand was staring at the moving door. He appeared to be looking for whatever was opening it. Maybe there were hidden men operating the garage door, he wondered. Victor entered first and told everyone to wait for him on the walkway. He pulled the car out slowly, put it in park and stepped out. "Ok, everyone in."

Byakuya looked at the car. It wasn't large and it wasn't small either. The size wasn't the issue. It was the fact that he had never ridden in one of these before. Carriages, yes. Cars, no. He stood still as if contemplating what to do.

In the meantime, Ichigo had already gotten into the backseat and closed his door. He rolled down the window to talk to the Captain. "What's wrong, Byakuya? Get in."

He stood where he was, still unsure.

"Would you like the front seat?" Victor asked him.

"Is there a difference?"

"Yeah, it's up front as opposed to the back," said Ichigo, rolling his eyes.

That wasn't what Byakuya was asking. He was curious where someone of his stature would be placed. Did a noble sit up front as a place of honor or in the back like in a limo? He wasn't sure.

The decision was made for him when Linnette sat up front and buckled herself in. Byakuya took the seat next to Ichigo. Victor closed the door for him and went to the diver's seat. He looked in the mirror at Byakuya. "Seatbelt, please."

"Hm?"

"Seatbelt," he repeated.

Linnette turned around, pointing at the strap by Byakuya's left shoulder. "You have to put that on or we get a ticket."

"A what?" Byakuya had no concept of this. A ticket or the reason for a seatbelt.

"We get a ticket for doing something bad," Linnette explained. "We're supposed to wear a seatbelt in a car. It's the law."

Byakuya wasn't the type to willingly break the law. He was the one who wanted to uphold it. He reached up and pulled the seatbelt down with his left hand. Then he looked around for where he was supposed to attach it. Ichigo pointed to the buckle and helped strap him in. Once everyone was buckled in, Victor pulled out of the driveway.

It took a few minutes for them to reach the apartment area just before they entered the main city. Byakuya looked out his window at the dirty apartments and the children playing in the small cement yards behind metal fences. He looked at the people walking their dogs, carrying trash to the large plastic cans by the curb, the people sitting on stoops, smoking or drinking, the people talking to each other from the next yard and the people hanging their wet clothes from the open widows on long ropes, blending in well with the cables tangling up the sky. He saw a family washing their car in the narrow driveway, spraying each other with the green hose. He saw a woman gardening in her broken yard, a cat sunning itself on the brick fence over her hat-covered head. Byakuya began to wonder if this was the Living world's version of the city where Rukia and his late wife grew up. It was similar, but these people appeared to be better off and more friendly than the Soul Society.

Then the buildings grew closer together to the point were it was impossible to differentiate them from another. The apartments thinned out and were replaced with shops and markets. There were even more people walking around and even more cars. Most were parked by the side of the road and others were crawling long the main road, honking horns and revving their engines. Despite the frequent stops they now had to go through, Byakuya enjoyed the smooth ride. He liked ridding in a car. Watching the buildings go by and watching the people coming and going was pretty relaxing.

The car turned left and up a busy street. There were two lanes. Victor pushed the car up the hill and into a large building. The sunlight was suddenly gone. Byakuya sat straight up, looking out Ichigo's window and then out the front. It was dark and smelled damp, like wet stone and smoke.

Ichigo looked out his window, too, and noticed all the parked cars and the maze of ramps going in different directions, indicated by white arrows on the ground and signs overhead. "This is a parking garage, isn't it?"

"That's right."

Linnette was smiling. Going into places like this was rare for her. Victor normally parked by the side of the road when they took the car or a different kind of garage with only one level run by a couple of men who smelled like gas and cigarettes. She liked going into this place because of all the ramps and the dim orange lights.

Victor went up one of the ramps and Linnette's smile grew bigger. Glancing down at her, Victor smiled. He knew how she liked going up and down the ramps. He would take his foot off the brake when going down the ramp so they would pick up some speed. But he would never put her in danger by going too fast. He pulled onto the fourth level of the building where there were few cars. He parked the car in a spot facing the outside and turned the car off.

Ichigo took off his seatbelt and got out first. Then Linnette. Byakuya looked down at his seatbelt, wondering how to unlatch it. He pressed the red release button and moved his chin out of the way as his seatbelt snapped back against the seat. Victor opened the door for him. Byakuya stepped out and looked around the parking garage. He hated how poorly it stank.

Victor made sure all the doors were shut then locked the car. "Shall we go?" He led the way towards the metal staircase six cars away, keeping Linnette near his side. They stepped into the natural light and looked around at the busy city. "Where should we start?"

Linnette started to lead the way. "Over this way. There are some good stores over here."

"Ok, lead on."

She turned around and led them to the crosswalk. The light on the other side of the street had turned a white color and was already counting down. Linnette hurried to the other side, leaving the boys to follow. Victor warned her not to get too far ahead and she slowed her pace.

Ichigo looked around at all the stores. He hadn't been on this street before. It wasn't as busy as other locations but he was still being shoved aside by impatient locals. He walked passed the thin trees with bikes strapped around their thin trunks and people sitting on benches and energetic dogs jumping up on his leg only to be pulled away by their owners.

Linnette was ahead of them, wandering around. She looked at dresses and shoes in shop windows with innocent curiosity. She went over to a woman with a dog and asked if she could pet it. The dog put its front paws on her knees and licked her face. She then moved on to a shop with toys and books and posters in the front window. She moved closer to one of the objects and called for Victor. "Look, look! They have the new book I want. Can we get it?"

Victor stood behind her looking at the hardcover book on display. "We could go in and ask. But you'll have to carry it. Ok?"

"That's fine. So can we?"

Victor held open the door for her and Linnette excitedly ran inside. "You two can either come in or wait out here. We'll just be a minute." He followed Linnette's calls and went inside.

Ichigo looked around at the crowd of people coming their way from the next block. Not wanting to be shoved aside again, he pulled on Byakuya's sleeve and shoved him inside the store.

"Let go," Byakuya hissed and pulled his arm free. "Why would you..?"

"I had to get you inside. Sorry if it bugs you that much."

Ichigo turned to the store's interior and wandered inside. There were posters advertising new sales and new books and series releases. There were movie posters, too. There was a guard standing by the door, his eyes lazily surveying the area. There was a slow revolving rack of postcards by the front door where they stood and beside that was a bin filled with stuffed animals, ranging in color and size. There were rows of books and magazines everywhere. The sections were printed in English and suspended from the ceiling above each row. Ichigo spotted Victor standing over Linnette who was crawling on her knees to look at the lower shelves for the book she wanted.

Byakuya pushed passed him to look at something that caught his eye. Ichigo followed him. There was a book on a shelf facing out which read 'Japanese gardens and scenery and cuisine'. Byakuya took it off the shelf and opened it, looking at the pictures.

Knowing that Byakuya wouldn't wander off, Ichigo took this opportunity to look around himself. He walked up and down isles, passed history books, science books, novels and manga books. Then he stopped in front of a shelf at eyelevel. It was a landscape book, filled with pictures from around the world. Ichigo took it off the shelf and started to flip through it. It had everything from snowy mountains to deep blue oceans and everything in between. The variety of trees were amazing and the animals were breath-taking. This book had so many pictures but not a lot of words. It was written in English anyway. He closed the book and thought about the person who may have been interested in it. Maybe he should get this for Veneno as a gift. He seemed to like this kind of thing.

"Found it!"

Ichigo looked in the next row over and saw Linnette shoving a book into Victor's chest, begging him to buy it. Victor took the book from her and started to make his way over to the register. Ichigo caught up to him and placed his book on top of Linnette's. "I'd like this, if you don't mind." Ichigo didn't have any American money to spend so it was up to Victor.

He looked at the book and smiled. He carried both books to the woman behind the counter and handed them over. Linnette put her hands on the counter and leaned over, watching her. She placed both books in a grey bag with their advertisement on it and handed it back to Victor after he handed her the money. He then took the bag and handed it down to Linnette. "Be careful with them, ok? Ichigo's is in there as well."

"Ok, got it."

Victor turned and looked for Byakuya. He was still looking at the book he had picked up before. "Did you want that?"

Byakuya looked up. He placed the book back on the shelf. "No."

"We're going now if you're done."

He nodded and followed them out. They walked back into the sunlight and continued left. Linnette held the bag of books close to her chest with both hands as if they would be taken from her if she didn't. She hurried to catch up with Victor who was leading them.

"You'll read it to me when we get home, right?"

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Of course I will. You've waited a month for it, haven't you? It'll be a good bedtime story for you."

"You can read it earlier, can't you?"

"Oh? You don't want to spend that time with the Soul Reapers?"

"You can read it to all of us."

Victor chuckled and pulled her closer.

They went into another store, this one bigger than the first. It had different sections for food and clothing and electronics. Victor pulled a cart from the packed row by the front of the store and wheeled it over to the group.

"How do you want to do this? Should we spread out or stay together?"

"Together," Linnette voted.

"Ok. Let's get the food, then. I have a list right here. And feel free to suggest things. I'm not used to cooking for so many people in my home for an extended period of time." He pushed the cart over to the food section and started to pick out a few things.

Linnette went over to a glass door and started to pull out a gallon of milk.

"Ah-ah, not yet, Linnette," Victor told her. "Remember what I told you?"

She looked at the milk in her hands and back up at him. "Save all frozen and perishables for last so they stay cooler longer and won't go bad."

"That's right."

She started to put the milk back, then noticed an old man wheeling up to her in an electronic chair with a cart attached to the front. "Did you need this?" she asked him. When he nodded, she placed the milk in the cart. He smiled and thanked her, wheeling away. Linnette went back over to where the boys were waiting.

They slowly started to fill up the cart. Victor checked off things on the list as they went. Victor also sent Ichigo off to bring back things so the cart wouldn't have to travel. Linnette happily helped him pick out a few things. As they neared the bakery section, she started to ask for cakes and cookies which Victor frowned upon. He allowed her to pick out two things she wanted from the section as long as she promised to share them with their Soul Reaper guests.

As they moved toward the back of the store, they passed by a clothing section. There on display was a rack of flip-flops and sandals. Victor noticed Linnette looking at them briefly and stopped the cart. "If you like, you can pick out a pair to replaced the ones that were ruined in the rain."

"I can?" she asked.

"Sure. Those are cheap enough. Pick out a pair. I'll be in this isle over here. Ichigo, go with her, please, and keep an eye on things."

"Uh, sure." Ichigo followed Linnette over to the rack while Byakuya and Victor went a different way. He followed after Linnette who was already pulling sandals down and looking them over. When she found a pair she liked, she held them in one hand while she tried to remove her shoes with the other. She hopped on one foot, trying to undo the buckle on her heeled shoes. She couldn't do it with one hand while hopping. Ichigo went over and knelt down on one knee as if proposing to her. "Here, sit."

She looked at Ichigo gesturing to his raised knee. He wanted her to sit on his knee. "You sure?"

"Yeah, go ahead. It's fine."

She sat on Ichigo's leg and started to unbuckle her shoes. She didn't weigh very much so he didn't mind. There was nothing else for her to sit on besides to dirty floor and it must have been hard for her to sit on the floor to try on shoes in a skirt. This way was much better.

He watched her slender fingers work the clasp on the buckle loose and slipped the strap through the thin metal buckle and slid off her right shoe. She set it aside by Ichigo's foot and stepped into one of the sandals. Then she balanced her left foot on her right knee and did the same thing to her left, sliding off the shoe and putting on the sandal. She stood up and walked around, testing the unfamiliar sandals. She paced the narrow isle and then stood in front of the display rack again, looking at the other options. When she found another pair she liked, she took them off the rack, dropped them on the ground and kicked off the ones on her feet, stepping into the new ones. She held onto the rack for balance with both hands.

"Does Victor buy you a lot of shoes?" he asked.

"Sometimes. He makes sure I have one pair of dress shoes for special occasions and sneakers. I also have a pair off boots for the winter and some rain boots that I never wear. I don't like the rubber. Then I have shoes like those over there." She pointed to her heeled sandals resting by Ichigo's foot. "I have a few pairs of those and I have flip-flops, too. But they don't last very long. It's ok, though, because they don't cost too much. Sometimes the straps break or I leave them out in the rain and they get ruined or they get really worn out and dirty."

"I noticed that you wear a lot of heels."

"Yeah. I like them. They make me taller. And I just think they're neat." She started to walk around in the new pair she had on. "But I don't like the heels with the really thin sticks for the heel part. You know what I mean? I can't walk in those and they break easily."

"Wouldn't want you to break your neck." Ichigo watched her walk around the isle then back to where he was. "Do you go shopping with them a lot?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes they go on really boring errands so I stay home."

"By yourself?"

"No. They've never left me home alone before. The closest I've come to being left by myself is when Victor is out doing things and Cedric is in the yard while I'm in the house. They're never too far behind." She kicked her leg and tried to catch the sandal as it flew through the air, missing. She tired again with the other one. It bounced off her shoulder before catching it in both arms. "But I go shopping with them a lot when we get food and things like that. They don't like taking me when it's raining because then we have to walk a lot and I'll get wet. I don't mind, but they know how I like to play in the rain. If I'm going to get wet, it might as well be all of me."

Ichigo moved to a more sensitive subject. "You, uh… used to live on the street, right?"

She paused, sandals in her hands. "Yeah. For one year." She put the sandals back on the shelf.

"I would think that someone in that situation wouldn't want to go outside much or be in the rain."

"There's a difference between playing in it and living in it. I choose to play outside and in the rain. I didn't have much of a choice with the other." She kept her eyes down. "I kept thinking that someone would notice me and try to help. But no one did. Either they didn't care or they figured someone else would handle it or something. An older woman reported me, thinking I was a missing child or something and that's how I ended up in the new orphanage. I don't know which was worse. Being on the streets all by myself or being under a roof and bullied. They were both pretty bad."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's ok." She lifted her head and gave him a smile. "Back then I was sure that everyone was bad and that there was no hope for me. After all, the only family I had and took me in, I had to create. I figured that was the only way I wouldn't be alone. That no one would like me otherwise. But then you came along and then my other friends and the Soul Reapers and I didn't create you guys. You like me fine, right? So it's not hopeless. It just took a long time. Still, it was worth the wait."

It was heartwarming to hear that. It was good that she wasn't sad or alone anymore. She had a nice life and had people who loved her.

She sat on Ichigo's knee again, putting her shoes back on. "I think I'll get this pair. They look pretty and they don't pinch."

Ichigo watched her put her shoes back on. "You're happy with things the way they are… right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I liked the attention I got when I was a diva and all that, but that's just because I wanted to feel like people loved me. I was starving for it. I liked the attention. But I didn't get to make really good friends, just admirers. And we traveled all the time and I didn't get to rest much. I like how things are now. I have a home and a family and friends who I can see everyday if I want and we still get to go traveling but not as much; for like a vacation or something. I like this a lot better."

"Simple things, huh?"

"Yup." She got off his knee and Ichigo stood up. Linnette picked up her new pair of sandals. "Let's go find Victor. I want him to get these for me."

"Ok." Ichigo took her hand and led her to where Victor was. He was still loading things into the cart while Byakuya just stood there. Clearly he had never been shopping before in his life. Then again, what noble did? Linnette pulled her hand out of Ichigo's to run up to Victor and presented the pair of shoes to him. He nodded and she set them in the cart.

* * *

Don't miss the next chapter! I'm sure everyone knows what's going to happen.

Please review.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Now that everything was paid for and in bags, the group set out again. They were finished shopping and it was time to go home. Byakuya refused to carry anything, leaving the others to do it for him. With Victor's strength, he could manage all of the bags. However, the plastic bags started to tear when he attempted to take everything at once. So Ichigo and Linnette helped him out. Victor carried most of the bags while Ichigo and Linnette took the rest.

Victor looked over his shoulder, seeing Linnette struggling with her bags. "From the bottom, sweetie. Support the bottom of the bags or they'll rip."

"Ok." Holding the bag of books in one arm, she twisted the bags around to support them from the bottom like he suggested. She was carrying the melons and other fruit.

"Careful not to bang them around too much or they'll bruise."

"Ok." She wrapped her arms around the bags, trying not to have them bump into each other. Her walking knocked one of the melons loose and it rolled across the sidewalk. "Oh!" Linnette stopped and tried to pick it up. When she moved her arms, the other bags started to spill. She stopped the melon from rolling with her foot and tried to figure out a way to pick up the melon without dropping anything else.

Seeing her struggle, the others stopped. Ichigo and Victor couldn't do anything with their arms full of bags. The other people on the sidewalk walked passed her, taking no notice of her and her struggles. Byakuya walked over at last and bent down, picking up the melon. She stood up and thanked him. Then he pulled two bags from her arms and dropped the melon inside one of them. Then he turned and walked away with the bags. "Keep up. You don't want to be left behind."

He had lightened her load. Now she was able to walk easier and carry everything without crushing or dropping anything else. "Thanks." She quickened her pace to catch up to the others. They continued on their way, Victor giving Byakuya an approving nod.

The sun still hung bright in the sky. The afternoon had only just begun. Ichigo was starting to feel a little hungry. It must have been close to lunchtime. Now that the shopping was done, it was time to head back and cook. The venders and local restaurant smells only amplified his hunger through long growls from his midsection. He wanted to get something from one of those carts but he knew he wouldn't be able to with no money and no way to carry anything else. Besides, whatever language these venders spoke, it didn't seem to be English or Japanese. It would be difficult to communicate with them and ask for food. He would have to wait.

Ichigo noticed something else besides the delicious aromas lingering in the air. The girls walking down the sidewalk kept looking in their direction. Ichigo looked across the street where the same thing was happening. What were they staring at? Ichigo looked down to see if it were his clothes. Nothing strange about that as far as he could tell. Then what was it?

He looked at a couple of passing teenaged girls. They looked his way and giggled, faces flushed. Ichigo tilted his head to one side confused. Was he funny looking to them or something? He slowed his pace slightly, trying to hid behind the others. Another group passed by and that's when he noticed that they weren't looking at him at all. It was Byakuya. Ichigo had been following so closely it looked like they were looking at him when they were actually looking at the man to his left.

It was his soul-snatching good looks that had them so captivated. Even while carrying grocery bags, Byakuya was careful to walk properly, his back straight and his shoulders back, keeping his chin up, gazing straight ahead. Even the way he was dressed seemed to enhance his natural beauty. In Ichigo's opinion, it was the next step down from an actual suit. Rather than dress in casual clothes like Ichigo, his wardrobe consisted of freshly pressed pants, a plain shirt and a dark jacket which he kept open, letting it billow behind him in the wind. It looked like everything he was wearing would have to be dry-cleaned.

_Can't this guy wear jeans and a T-shirt or something? _Ichigo thought to himself. _Even his shoes are polished. Jeez, he knew we were going shopping and he chooses that?_

Ichigo walked closer to Byakuya and whispered to him over his shoulder. "You couldn't have found something else to wear?"

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?"

"It's kind of attracting some attention." Ichigo nodded towards the girls stealing long glances at the young man walking in front of him.

Byakuya turned his head and looked at them. The moment they saw his gaze, they turned away, giggling excitedly to one another. Byakuya looked at Ichigo over his shoulder. "So?"

"So? So you don't notice how they keep staring at you like that? Are you blind? They're attracted to you."

"Why would you think that? Why would they be attracted to me?"

"Because you're hot!" Ichigo's face blanched when a group of passing girls turned his way, hearing what he had just said. Ichigo hid his face, embarrassed. When they walked off, Ichigo leaned closer to Byakuya and whispered to him. "You're good-looking to those girls. They like you."

"Your point being?"

"I'm just saying… I don't know, couldn't you have dressed down your wardrobe a little bit?"

"And dress like a peasant?"

"Don't think of it like that. It's bad enough that Victor gets the same looks you're getting. We don't need two of you."

"Are you jealous, Ichigo?"

"What? No! I just hate it when people stare! It's uncomfortable." Ichigo turned away in a huff. "Never mind!"

They made it to the parking garage and up to where the car sat waiting for them. Victor unlocked the car and opened the trunk, telling them to place the bags inside. Linnette insisted on carrying the bag with their books in it. She took them up to the front seat with her, then paused.

"Hey, Byakuya. Would you like the front seat this time?"

He looked up.

She stepped aside, offering the seat to him. "Go ahead and take it. I'll sit in back with Ichigo."

The Captain agreed and sat in the front seat while Linnette took the one in back with Ichigo. Victor was the last one in the car. When all the doors were shut, he turned the car on, made sure everyone was buckled in and drove to the nearest ramp. He took his foot off the brake, coasting down, picking up speed. Linnette giggled, enjoying it. Victor didn't do it again after that as more cars started to arrive and leave at the same time. They exited the garage and drove off back toward the house.

From the front seat, Byakuya had an easier time seeing the sights. He didn't like how congested the streets were or how some areas smelled worse than others. This wasn't the kind of place he wanted to live. Thankfully, Linnette's home was just outside the main city where he didn't have to be exposed to all this.

It was strange traveling in a moving car. This was his first time, but thankfully it wasn't too bad. Victor was a decent driver. It was a smooth ride, despite the frequent starts and stops due to traffic. He could hear Linnette talking in the back seat to Ichigo but wasn't paying attention to what she was saying or how Ichigo responded. He sat back and relaxed, watching the tall buildings pass them by. They started to see trees and the buildings were starting to thin out. They were getting close. It was a pleasant ride. Byakuya was starting to drift off. As his head began to drop, he felt the car slow to a stop and picked his head up. He was looking at a white garage door.

"Here we are," Victor announced and unlocked the doors.

Linnette was already climbing out, clutching her bag tightly. She ran around to the other side of the car, opening Ichigo's door. Then Byakuya's. "We're here! We're home!" She bounced to the back of the car and started tugging on the latch on the trunk. It wouldn't open.

"Honey, please wait. I haven't unlocked it yet. You'll break something."

She stepped back and waited until she heard a click sound then pried the trunk open with her left hand, holding onto the books with her right. Inside were the bags of food they had just bought. "Which one has my sandals in it?' she asked, pawing through the plastic bags with her hand.

"Calm down, sweetie. I'm sure we'll find them. Be careful. We don't want anything damaged."

Ichigo stood nearby. "Need help getting everything inside?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Here, take this." Victor handed Ichigo two bags. "And if Byakuya would be so kind to help us out…"

The Captain stepped forward silently. Victor handed him a single bag.

Linnette was loading up both arms with as many bags as she could fit, wearing the plastic bags like large bracelets. The pale skin on her arms were starting to turn red as the plastic straps dug into her flesh.

"Linnette, don't take a lazy man's load. Pace yourself. You can always come back for more."

"I can do it. Just like you can. See? I'm fine." Some of the bags began to tear and Victor reached out, relieving her of six bags with one quick movement.

"Even for me, these bags will rip. You can't take too many, no matter how strong you are, ok?"

"Ok."

Victor ushered her towards the house, carrying most of the bags himself. He opened the door quickly and held it open with his foot for Linnette to scurry through, dragging a bag or two behind her, hunched over, carrying the others in one arm, supporting them with her knees. Victor insisted on helping her but she refused, determined to do it herself.

Ichigo's stomach growled again. "I've starving, I don't know about you. I can't wait to get in and eat something."

He heard Byakuya's footsteps on the stone path slow and then stop entirely. Ichigo turned around to find him standing very still.

"Byakuya?"

There was a dull flash and Byakuya's gigai fell over. Byakuya reached forward with his Soul Reaper hand and grabbed Ichigo's wrist.

Ichigo began to fight back, pulling and twisting his arm away from his grip, trying to loosen it. "Hey! Let me go! Stop it, Byakuya! What's gotten into you?"

Byakuya twisted Ichigo's arm back, forcing his knees to bend. Ichigo dropped the bags and tried to pry Byakuya's thumb back in hopes of getting free. Byakuya forced him to his knees instead, pinning his arm behind his back.

"Byakuya! What are you doing?!"

He wrapped his arm around Ichigo's chest, pinning his arms to his sides and behind his back. He started to draw his Zanpakuto from its sheath. Ichigo twisted and squirmed.

Ichigo tried to fight back but he couldn't. He couldn't move his arms at all. There was nothing he could do. Well, there was one thing. He knew they weren't his to command but they would have to come if he called them, wouldn't they? "Victor! Victor, help!"

The suited man appeared in the doorway looking around the yard. He found Byakuya holding Ichigo hostage and frowned.

Linnette shrieked from within the house and Victor turned back. She always came first. He found her sitting on the floor, a black blur coming his direction. Yumichika planted both feet in the center of Victor's chest and jumped into the yard, aiding Byakuya. Victor turned back to help Linnette only to find Cedric pulling her to her feet with one hand. Once on her feet, she ran to the front door. Byakuya was attempting to open the Senkaimon.

"Byakuya, don't! Please stop!"

He glanced at her only for a moment then continued with what he was doing. Ichigo started to thrash, kicking Byakuya with his heels, trying to get him to loosen his grip, even for a moment. He was helpless like this. "Put me down, Byakuya!"

"Just keep quiet."

Linnette called again. "Victor! Cedric!"

They sprang into action, rushing towards the Captain. Byakuya turned his sword on them with a glare. "Scatter."

"No! Don't!"

Cedric jumped clear of the pink cloud as it came his direction. The millions of sharp pedals turned on Victor who took the full force of the hit in his torso. His suit was cut to ribbons. But there was no blood spilt. He landed on his feet, ignoring his tattered clothes and looked around for his assailant. Byakuya was standing above them in midair, Ichigo wrapped tightly in his arms. Yumichika stood beside him, opening the Senkaimon himself.

"Victor, Cedric!" Linnette called again. "Stand down! Don't attack them!"

They turned, bewildered.

"There was talk of a possible Hollow, right? It's my job to test it. If they're possessed by a Hollow or something like that, my voice will stop them."

They backed down, letting her do as she wished. The other Soul Reapers were starting to come out of the house, hearing the disturbance. The next thing they heard was Linnette's singing. It rang in the air like a siren's song. Yumichika and Byakuya were unfazed, continuing to open the gateway back to their world.

"They're not stopping."

"They're not even flinching."

Linnette stopped her song. "So they're not Hollows? There's no Hollow involved?"

Byakuya heard hissing and looked at the boy in his arms. Ichigo turned his head as far as it would go and gave Byakuya a sadistic grin. "So… once again, you're trying to take me away, huh? You're so eager to keep us apart, aren't you?" Ichigo began to flex his arms and pushed hard against Byakuya's grip. When that didn't work, he became even more violent and smashed his head against Byakuya's jaw. He lifted his legs up and sank them deep into Byakuya's gut, pushing away from him as hard as he could. Byakuya's grip was broken and Ichigo was freed.

Ichigo began to fall. Byakuya may have been a Soul Reaper at the moment, but Ichigo was still in a human body, incapable of standing in midair. He plummeted down to the ground.

"Ichigo!" Linnette screamed his name.

Ichigo corrected his form and landed on both feet like a cat in the grass. As soon as he touched land, he ran to Linnette and circled around her like a shark. He sniffed her hair and purred in her ear. This wasn't Ichigo. Her song had no effect on those men, but the same couldn't be said for him. Ichigo's Hollow was now in control.

"You're not going to interfere!" Byakuya shouted down to them and dove out of the sky, heading straight for them.

Sensing Linnette tense up, Ichigo jumped in front of her, ready to defend his princess. As soon as Byakuya came within range, Ichigo, without a sword, spun around, delivering a powerful kick to Byakuya's neck. It sent him flying into the side of the house and slumping over with a dull moan.

"Brother!" Rukia shrieked, running over to him.

"Hollow!" Linnette scolded him.

Ichigo recoiled, head sinking into his shoulders. "What? You were in danger. I helped."

"I don't want you to kill him! Don't kill anyone, ok?"

Ichigo, or rather, his Hollow's eyes shifted from side to side. He couldn't deny her. Sighing heavily, he agreed. "Fine. But if you're in danger, I'm saving your ass, ok? I'll just hold back. I can't let anything happen to you."

Something overhead moved. Yumichika was trying to capture Ichigo in Byakuya's stead. He landed behind Ichigo with his sword drawn. "Don't think you can get away so easily. I'm a force to be reckoned with myself. I'm not going to make it easy for you."

"Good," Ichigo hissed. "I like a challenge."

The four blades of Yumichika's Zanpakuto unfurled and he bent his knees, waiting for Ichigo to make the first move. Ichigo hissed at him and raised his hands up, as if he were fixing to box with him. Linnette stood behind them, watching helplessly.

Rukia ran to her brother's side and knelt beside him. "Brother, are you ok? Can you speak?"

He lifted his head and looked straight at her, eyes wide open. She waited, unsure of what was going to happen. Was he going to continue with the attack? Would he come after her next? He started to sit up then stopped, wincing. He held his rib with his hand and looked at his sister again. "It happened again, didn't it?"

Rukia couldn't speak. Nothing went through her mind and nothing came from her mouth but a startled breath.

He sat up further, still holding his side. "That look says it all. Besides… I can tell just by looking at him." Byakuya's gaze was focused on Yumichika who had engaged in a very close battle with Ichigo on the front lawn. Linnette's family flanked her on both sides, watching her restlessly. She had asked them to stop and were given no further instructions. She wasn't in danger at the moments, but still. They had no way of knowing if she was planning anything else or if they would be in her way.

She looked at them and then over at Byakuya, laying crumpled against the side of the house. "Don't worry about them or me. Help him!"

They turned. Cedric flashed away and reappeared at Byakuya's side, looking at his hand clasped over his injury. "Is it a cut or a fracture? What happened here?"

Byakuya tried to sit up further, but it was too painful. "I think I've broken something. I can't move. There's no blood."

"Let me look."

There was a loud clang that made their ears ring. Ikkaku had wedged himself between Ichigo and Yumichika. "What the freaking hell is wrong with you, Yumichika?!"

He hesitated, only for a moment, then stood firm and pushed against Ikkaku's drawn blade. "My fight isn't with you. I have no intention of crossing blades with you. My fight is with him."

"Why? Why the hell would you do that?"

"Why? Because he won't come peacefully, that's why! Now please get out of my way!"

Ikkaku pulled away but only to strike again. Yumichika bent his sword sideways to block the attack.

"Damn it, Ikkaku! Stop it! Just let me be!"

"Why should I? Why do you want Ichigo so bad?! What's wrong with you?"

His eyes flickered. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his friend's sword away. "That's none of your business! Just leave me alone! I'm taking Ichigo with me and that's that!"

"Just tell me why!"

"Because he's mine! That's way! He's mine and I'm taking him!"

He wasn't going to get any further than that. That was as far as he was willing to explain. Ikkaku pulled away and jumped over Yumcihik'a head, landing on his right. "If you want him so bad, then fight me first. If you can't handle me, then you can't have him."

Again Yumichika looked upset by this. He didn't want to fight his best friend. After a few moments of contemplation, he complied. "Fine! But I'm not doing this because I want to! It's because you forced me to! If you'd just let me do this, then we wouldn't have a problem!"

"You're the one with the problem!"

Ichigo jumped between the two. "No, I'm the one with the problem! You're stealing my fight!" he spat at Ikkaku. "You stay out of this and let me handle it! I never get to have any fun around here anyways. I'm finishing what he started!"

"Oh, back off! You can't take him!"

Ichigo grabbed the front of Ikkaku's kimono and pressed their foreheads together. "What's that?! You saying I can't handle him?! How insulting! I can take pretty boy any day of the week!"

"I mean he's after Ichigo! Technically, you're not him!"

His Hollow eyes scanned the body he was possessing. "At the moment, this is the King's body, so technically, he is fighting him, just with a better fighter in command! So back off!"

"You back off!"

"Pay a little attention to me, damn it!" Yumichika snapped. "I'm fighting someone here!"

"Damn straight!" Ichigo launched himself at the Soul Reaper and tackled him to the ground. He punched him in the face as hard as he could and Yumichika took a swipe at him in return. They started rolling on the ground and sprang apart a minute later, standing in the yard glaring at each other. "If you like that, imagine what I could do with a sword."

Yumichika swung his Zanpakuo at Ichigo's head, catching only a few strands of orange hairs. "Shut it! Now my face is going to swell up thanks to you!"

Byakuya looked away for a moment. "Rukia."

"Y- yes?"

"I came to my senses. Why hasn't he?"

"Uh…" she looked down. "I'm not sure. You got hurt and then… He kicked you so…"

"Perhaps it's the pain," suggested Cedric. "Maybe the pain shocked him out of whatever this was."

Rukia looked back at the fight. "But Ichi- er, his Hollow, just punched him in the face and he didn't change back."

"Maybe it wasn't hard enough."

"I'm not sure how much harder he's willing to punch," she said. "After Linnette's last order, he's not willing to try anything too rough for Linnette's sake. She doesn't want to risk anyone getting killed." She watched Yumichika swing at Ichigo again, missing. He jumped away from him and tried to attack from a different angle. "From the look of things, Yumichika's the same way. Clearly, he wants to take Ichigo alive and in one piece. He doesn't seem willing to land a critical hit. This fight could go on for a while."

Byakuya managed to lift himself up just a little higher. "We're not waiting around for that. We'll have to restrain him until he comes to his senses as well." He pointed at Yumichika. "Bakudo number one, Sai!"

The four bladed sword dropped to the ground as Yumichika's arms were suddenly pinned behind his back and was forced to his knees. "H- hey!" He struggled against his invisible binds.

Ichigo looked at the man on the ground then at Linnette who was waiting for him with a look of worry on her face. Rare, for the Hollow, his face broke into a warm smile and he hopped over to her happily and wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders. "Did you see me hold back? See? I have restraint."

Ikkaku looked at the man on the ground and frowned. "This isn't going to last. He's got the power of a 3rd Seated officer. This is child's play to get out of. You've only bought us a couple of seconds."

"Don't insult my brother like that! He knows what he's doing! There's no reason to explain that. I'm sure he already knew."

"Aww," cooed the Hollow. "Somebody's got 'tude…"

Rukia glared at him. "I'm not defending anyone and I am not being snide at all! I'm just pointing out the things he's overlooked! That's all."

"Please! You were kissing his ass as if it were cake!"

It sounded like glass were slowly being crushed and broken. Yumichika's arms were snapped free from his back with a roar and he reached for his weapon. Byakuya raised his hand again. "Bakudo 63, Sajo Sabaku!"

Yumichika's arms were bound once again, this time in glowing yellow ropes. He thrashed around, demanding to be set free.

Linnette tried to think of what they should do. Byakuya was normal but not Yumcihika. What did they have to do? That wasn't all that was racing through her mind at the moment. She wondered why they were after Ichigo in the first place. What was happening to these Soul Reapers?

She felt Ichigo's grip loosen around her shoulders and turned her head upward to look at him. His face had changed and so had his eyes. They were brown. He was looking at Yumichika with firm eyes. He knew the situation without having to be told. She looked at Yumichika again, wondering what she should do.

Yumichika looked at his friend. "Come on, Ikkaku! Help me out of this."

"Are you really begging?"

"Of course not! It'll just be easier to capture Ichigo when my hands aren't bound! Now help me!"

"You still haven't explained why."

"I told you why! I want him! He's mine! I'm taking Ichigo back with me!"

"But why?"

"Because I need him! I want him! Just let me go!"

"When you stop being vague about it…"

He thrashed even harder. "Ikkaku, please! Just get me out of this!"

Linnette tried to think. Byakuya was thrown against the wall. His rib was hurt. But when he hit the wall… She remembered. He hit his head, too. His side hit first but he had also hit his head. The last time this happened, Victor had to knock them out in order to get them to stop. Maybe a head injury was the answer. Ichigo's Hollow didn't punch him hard enough or in the right spot. Maybe he would return to normal if he was properly hit.

"Hey, Ikkaku!"

He turned. His cold eyes made her jump slightly. He looked angry.

"Um… Do you think you could hit Yumichika in the head?"

"Not a problem. My pleasure." Ikkaku slapped Yumichika in the side of the head with the back of his hand. All Yumichika did was complain and whine.

"N- no. harder, I think…" She looked up at Ichigo. "I think it's the head… I think that if we…"

He looked from her to the angry Soul Reaper. "I see what you're saying. Hang on." Ichigo went over to Yumichika. He stopped thrashing when he saw Ichigo willingly come his way. Ichigo balled his hand into a fist and punched Yumichika in the temple. He went down on contact. "I think she meant more like that."

Yumichika was woozy, but not out. It took him almost two minutes to recover enough to look at them and form a comprehensible statement. He looked from Ikkaku to Ichigo with concerned eyes. "Again? D- did I do it again? I did, didn't I?"

The kido was removed and they helped Yumichika inside. Cedric helped carry Byakuya who was unfit to walk as far as he was concerned.

Linnette ran to the couch, moving pillows aside, giving Byakuya a more comfortable place to rest his aching body. Cedric set him down on the couch while Ikkaku and Ichigo helped Yumichika into one of the chairs. Victor went into the kitchen, fetching something.

Ichigo did a quick headcount. "Where's Hanataro and Rangiku?"

"Hanataro's taking a nap on the couch in the next room. Rangiku's in the bath upstairs."

Victor handed Yumichika an icepack and went over to Byakuya. "If you need treatment, we'll have to wake Hanataro."

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

"You can barely move."

"I'm sore."

Victor bent down and placed his hand over where Byakuya was holding his side. He ran his hand gently over the skin, through a tear in Byakuya's clothes. He tensed up when Victor hit a certain spot. "I can feel a bump. I think it's your bone. Your rib is broken." He turned to Cedric. "Get Hanataro in here."

He hurried to the den.

Yumichika moved the icepack over his forehead and shivered, taking in a few quick breaths. "Why did this happen again? Was there a trigger or something?"

"I didn't notice anything. What were you doing before you went nuts?"

"I, uh… I was in the den over there with Ikkaku. The TV was on and we were watching it."

"All of you?"

"I guess. Hanataro fell asleep I think at one point. I didn't look. Rukia was in there, too. I wasn't really paying attention."

"What kind of show were you watching?"

"What does that matter? I couldn't understand it anyway. It was in English. Rukia had the remote. Some wildlife thing."

"What was Byakuya doing?"

"He was carrying things in from the car. I don't know anything else."

"Did you both do it at the same time? Change, I mean."

Yumichika looked at Byakuya sideways and shrugged. "I guess so…"

"Are you sure it was at the same time?"

"No, it wasn't," said Rukia. "I was in the room with Yumichika when it happened. We heard Ichigo yelling from outside. Yumichika was normal then. Ichigo called for Victor and he ran outside. That's when Yumichika started to act funny. He stood up and started to say something. Then he stopped. And then he ran into the kitchen and pushed Linnette out of his way and kicked Victor. I saw him do it."

"So there was a time difference?"

"Seems so."

Cedric brought Hanataro into the room who was already out of his gigai and racing to the couch. "What happened? Which side is the injury?" He set to work, healing the Captain.

It was a full minute before the silence was broken.

"So Byakuya changed first. Then Yumichika. Right?"

"Do either of you guys remember anything?"

Hanataro looked up, confused. "What are you guys talking about? Changed what?"

"They both came after Ichigo again."

"What? Why?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out."

Yumichika answered first. "I wasn't doing anything. I watched TV, heard Ichigo yell, saw Victor run, stood up to see what was going on. I started to ask Ikkaku if he knew… And then… I just started moving. It was like I was motivated to do it."

"So you remember it?"

"Sure I do. I remembered the first time it happened, too."

"Then you remember the confrontation we had out there?" Ikkaku asked.

"Yeah. I meant what I said. I didn't want to fight you. But I was willing to if I had to." He pulled the icepack over his eyes and leaned his head back against the chair. "It was weird. It was like… I wanted to take Ichigo with me. I wanted to grab him and just… I don't remember why, though. I just can't."

"It's the same for me," said Byakuya. "I remember what I did, but I cannot remember the reason why. Something was motivating me to do what I did. Almost like I was ordered to do it, but I don't know who the orders came from or why. It's the same as before."

"So you knew what you were doing, but once you snapped out of it you don't?"

"No, no. We knew what we were doing and why at the time, I'm sure. But when we come to our senses, we can only remember the what and not the why. That's what it was. We know what we did, but not why we did it. We were ourselves. It was like we were acting on orders. That's the best way I can describe it."

Ichigo looked at Linnette. "Did you try using your voice on them?"

"Yeah. It didn't work. It only changed you. So a Hollow isn't involved."

"So there's no Hollow…"

Hanataro finished healing Byakuya and turned around. "Um, well… Um… What if… What if it's the area that's doing it?"

"The area?"

He flinched nervously. "Well, it was just a thought. It's probably not but… I just thought that since it's only happening to us and we're all here that… never mind."

"I think it's a pretty good idea," said Ikkaku. "But maybe it's not the area. What if it's them?"

"Them who?" asked Rukia.

'Who do you think?" He pointed at Linnette and Victor and then Cedric. "Those three."

"How could you say something like that? How could it possibly-?"

"I'm just saying. I mean, she was around all three of them the first time it happened. They all went nuts. Then it happened this time, too. She was around then, too."

"But they were in different locations. And Hanataro wasn't affected this time around. It was just those two. Explain that."

"Hey, it's just a theory. But think about it. Her powers to control Hollows? And now she has the power to control Soul Reapers?"

"That's ridiculous. Besides, she tried to stop them."

"Notice how those guys are after Ichigo only?" Ikkaku went on. "She likes Ichigo. She wants him to stay, right? I just think it's a little weird."

"If she was behind this, then why would they do it when she's not in the same room as them, not using her voice, and why, if she wants him to say here with her, would she have them take him to the Soul Society?"

Ikkaku chewed his lip. "Got me. Didn't think of that."

"Then stop blaming her for this."

"I'm not blaming anybody. I'm throwing out ideas, same as you."

"It still sounds like you're blaming her. She had nothing to do with this."

"Then why is it only happening here at her house? Seems a little fishy to me. No one else is doing it. It's just us and it's only happening here where she just happens to be."

"Not, it's not," Ichigo said, realizing something important. "They're not the only ones this is happening to."

"How do you know?" asked Byakuya.

"Because I've been going to the Soul Society for the past couple of days. It's been happening there, too. Toshiro attacked me and… another Soul Reaper." He was careful to leave Veneno out of it. "Toshiro attacked us and came after me, doing the same thing you guys were doing."

"Captain Hitsugaya was effected, too? Are you sure?"

"Positive. He put Akon in the sickbay and landed himself there, too."

"Is he alright?"

"I checked. Unohana said he'd be fine. She said there was nothing to worry about."

Byakuya stood up. "How long have you been withholding this information?"

"I'm not withholding anything. It just hasn't come up until now. I didn't know it was the same thing. Remember, I wasn't around the first time it happened. But you guys were acting the same way he was. So it's not just here. It's happening in the Soul Society, too."

No one spoke. Hanataro was shaking where he sat on the floor looking frightened. Rukia looked like she wanted to say something but didn't.

Rangiku came bouncing down the stairs, humming a tune to herself, towel around her shoulders. She stopped, seeing everyone in the room looking upset. "What'd I miss?"

Byakuya turned to Victor. "Is there a spare room here that we could use? I'd like to set up something so that I can contact the Soul Society."

Victor gave it a little thought, then pointed over his head. "I think we have room upstairs. How much room do you need?"

"A corner will do fine."

"Then the playroom will do fine for you. Come this way." He led Byakuya to the stairs.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto, come with me. Your Captain has set one of these up in the past. I'll need assistance from someone who's familiar with them."

"Uh, sure, ok."

The three disappeared upstairs.

Ichigo felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down. Linnette was looking up at him with worried eyes. "Is everything gonna be ok?" She looked scared.

Ichigo bent down and held her hand. He put on a brave smile and looked up into her blue eyes. "We've been in situations a lot worse than this and came out of it just fine. Remember when you went to the Soul Society before and everyone was crazy and running around? This is nothing compared to that. Besides, you saw them. They weren't trying to hurt me. And Yumichika said that he didn't want to fight Ikkaku, even when he was acting crazy. You have nothing to worry about. Ok?"

She scrutinized his face for a while. Finding nothing that told her that he didn't believe his own words she smiled back with a nod. "Ok."

"Everyone's a little stressed out right now and we're hungry, too. I know I am. So why don't we eat something? That'll make us feel better. And in the mean time, Byakuya will call the Soul Society and get some info. Maybe they realized what's happening and have a way to fix it." He stood up and led her over to the kitchen, still holding her warm hand. She was squeezing back pretty tight. She was still concerned.

She took a seat at the counter. Ichigo waved Cedric over who already knew what she needed. He picked up the fallen grocery bags from the floor and started to lay things out for her to pick out. He placed a thin cardboard cake box in front of her and took out a small plate and a fork. She didn't look up.

Cedric moved the box closer to her. Still she didn't look up. He pushed it closer, making the box bump into her arm. Bump, bump, bump. He nudged the box into her arm until she finally looked up at it. She was frowning. He pulled back on the lid of the box, opening and closing it as he spoke in a deep voice. "Eat me!"

She started smiling. He pulled on the lid again, turning the box into a cardboard mouth.

"Eat me! Eat me!"

Giggling, she pulled the box out of his hand and over to her plate. Cedric patted her head and started to cut her a large piece of cake.

Curious, Hanataro walked over to the counter. Like a rabbit, he hid behind Ichigo, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. He moved a little closer. Closer. Then he pulled out a seat and sat down beside Linnette, looking at the cake. Without having to be told, Cedric cut Hanataro a piece and handed it to him. He poured each of them a glass of milk, setting a third aside for Ichigo. The cake seemed to make both of them feel a lot better. Ichigo's stomach growled again. He gabbed the slice offered to him in hopes it would make him feel better, too.

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	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Snacks eaten and groceries put away, it was now time for Victor to start working on preparing dinner. He had started preparing the meat first, knowing that it would take a while to cook. Cedric and finished cleaning up the front yard after the earlier scuffle and had come in to check on how things were going inside. Everyone was staying out of each other's way. Byakuya and Rangiku still hadn't come down from the second level of the house yet. Their meeting must have still been going on. Byakuya had mentioned that he had planned on contacting the Soul Society to report what had been happening and get some more information. That was over an hour ago. Ikkaku and Yumichika were spending their time outside, enjoying the sunshine. Rukia was in the den with Ichigo watching TV.

Ichigo still had a very uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wondered why the Soul Reapers seemed to be turning on him. No, that wasn't it. They didn't want to hurt him. They wanted to bring him back to the Soul Society with them for some reason. They remembered doing it but could not for the life of them remember the reason why. They had been trying to remember for a good part of the afternoon. From the look of things, Yumichika had already given up. Since Linnette's voice had no effect on them, that meant that it wasn't a Hollow's doing. Which made Ichigo wonder why this mission involved finding a Hollow. They had yet to find one. As a matter of fact, there was absolutely no Hollow activity at all anywhere in the city. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder why he was sent here to help with a Hollow problem if there wasn't one. Could this have been a trap of some kind? At first he thought that the Hollow was capable of hiding its Spiritual Pressure somehow, making it impossible to find or track down. But Linnette's song would have not only flushed it out, it would have also made the others react in some way if a Hollow was even involved. The fact that it didn't could only mean that there wasn't a Hollow at all.

"Something isn't right here. It just doesn't add up."

Without looking away from the screen, Rukia asked him, "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"Just what I said. I don't think there's a Hollow involved at all. Linnette's voice would have done something if there were."

"Then why else would we be told to come here if there wasn't? Do you think we were lied to?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Why would they do that?" Rukia didn't want to believe it, but there was a part of her that suspected as much ever since Linnette's voice had proven just that. Despite these feelings, she decided to keep them to herself and not let on. "There's got to be more to it than that."

Ichigo got up from the couch and started to walk into the kitchen. "Whatever. I just wish we had answers. Something to go on would be nice."

Victor was still working in the kitchen. It looked liked he was making enough food for ten people. Given how much the group tended to eat, that should be just enough for them. As he came over to see what was cooking, Byakuya and Rangiku came down the stairs together.

"Well?" Ichigo asked the moment he saw them.

"We reported the incident to Head Captain Yamamoto," said Byakuya. "And it's as you claimed. Captain Hitsugaya was also effected by whatever this is. He confessed to coming after another Soul Reaper and attacking them. He had attacked Akon from Research and Development. Akon confirmed it. He has also recovered and is back to work and doing just fine."

"That's good." Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad to hear that Akon was alright. There was no mention of Veneno so no one seemed to know about him yet. So far so good.

"A few other Soul Reapers confessed to having odd feeling as well. The ones who reported it said that they felt an inexplicable obsession with you, Ichigo. It completely engulfed their thoughts. All they could do was think about you. And then it would go away in the next minute."

"And? That's it?"

"You weren't around and they had no idea where you were. It's not like they could come after you or attack. They just confessed to a strong feeling. That's all. Among those reported Soul Reapers is my Lieutenant. Renji said he had those feelings as well. So did Captain Ukitake."

"Them, too?"

"Yes. Captain Ukitake didn't think much of it, believing it to be an odd side-effect from his medications. He hasn't been feeling well lately. But when he got those urges, he tried to leave his bed to search for you, he said. It was short lived and never made it out of his room. He reported it to one of his visitors because he found it strange. The visitor then reported it, having felt the same thing not too long ago."

"So it seems that it has nothing to do with this area and it has nothing to do with being around you, Ichigo. And there's spacing between when people reported feeling that way so it seems to be at random," added Rangiku. "Weird. I would think that they would have something in common but there isn't. No one knows why this is happening or why or why it's all focused around you. So back to the drawing board?"

Ichigo was hoping for some good news, but it looked like he would have to be disappointed. At least they got news, but it wasn't what he was expecting. Even Renji and Ukitake were effected.

"By the way," Victor said from the counter. "I haven't seen Linnette for a while. Have you seen her?"

"Oh, yeah!" Rangiku smiled and pointed up the stairs. "She's upstairs in her room with Hanataro."

Victor dropped the bowl of freshly washed carrots in the sink, head jerking up. "What?" He looked like someone had just told him the house was on fire. Cedric from the armchair wore the same expression.

The next thing they knew, the two men were racing passed the Soul Reapers, making a mad dash for the staircase. The men's shoulders pressed against the other's, both attempting to get up the stairs first. All they kept repeating to themselves on the way up to the second floor was "Boy in her room, boy in her room, boy in her room!" Ichigo and Rangiku followed them up the stairs, curious and a little frightened.

They turned left at the top of the stairs and opened Linnette's door with such force that the door was nearly knock off its hinges. Cedric's hand had dented the metal doorknob as he opened it.

Linnette was sitting on the floor across from Hanataro, showing him her plush animal collection. "Hi."

Victor grabbed Linnette and scooped her off the ground, holding her tightly. Cedric lifted Hanataro up and pulled him away from the toys, separating them.

"What's going on?" Linnette asked, very confused by their actions.

"Linnette, what were you doing with him in your room with the door shut?" Victor asked. His voice was almost shaking. But he was careful to keep himself calm so that she wouldn't notice.

"I was just showing him some of my animals. Like that one we got at one of those theme parks you took me to a couple months ago. And that one Cedric won for me at that fair because I couldn't get it. And that one with the loose eye that I got from my friend." She twisted her body around to look at the man holding her. "Why? What's the matter?"

Hanataro started frantically tapping Cedric's arm which was wrapped around his neck. "Can't breathe! Can't breathe!" Cedric wasn't intending to hold him so tightly and let him go. Hanataro slid onto the floor, gasping for air.

Victor set Linnette down carefully. "It's just that…" He brushed her long dark hair nervously with his left hand. "It's just that we don't exactly feel comfortable with you having a boy in your room with the door shut."

"Why not?" she asked innocently. She failed to see any problem with it at all. "It was too noisy downstairs. Besides, Ichigo's been in here before and you didn't seem to mind."

Victor and Cedric exchanged looks. "Um… Well, that was different, sweetie."

"Why?"

"Because he was asleep at the time… and we were watching you."

Ichigo's eye twitched. "You were watching me sleep?" Then again, he remembered that night fairly well. There wasn't anything wrong with it. Now he understood why his father and sister spied on him whenever he brought a girl into his room and closed the door. They were just being protective. Sort of.

Changing the subject, Victor started to push Linnette towards the door. "In the future, tell us when you're bringing boys up here, ok?"

"I never have to when my friends are over."

"They're girls. Now, uh, come on. I'm cooking dinner."

Subject changed. "Can I help?" she offered.

Glad to have her mind on other things, Victor chuckled. "Of course you can. I'll show you where I'm at. I could sure use another hand to help me out."

Victor pushed Linnette out the door and passed Ichigo on their way to the stairs. Ichigo knew Victor didn't really need her help. It was just a distraction. He led her into the kitchen and showed her what he was in the middle of doing. Dinner wouldn't be for another couple of hours, but the meal needed time to prepare. With the meat now cooking in the oven, Victor told Linnette that he needed help washing the vegetables. She happily agreed to help him out and stood by the sink.

Hanataro was carried down the stairs by the back of his shirt in Cedric's hand. His feet didn't touch solid ground until they were in the kitchen. He offered to help. They seemed to be more approving of this since they would be watched very closely.

"How do I cut these?" Linnette asked, holding a carrot in her hand and a knife in the other.

Victor almost flinched when he saw her holding a knife. But it wasn't out of fear for his sake as much as it was for hers. "Perhaps I should cut it. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I can do it."

"I'll help," said Hanataro.

Standing close by, Victor supervised Linnette cutting up the carrot, making sure she wasn't in danger of cutting herself. The carrot slices weren't even but she was doing fairly well. She improved as time went on and she started to get the hang of it. Victor looked away for a moment to see how Hanataro was fairing. He was holding his knife like a scalpel, making small incisions along the side of the carrot.

"Um…" Victor smiled. "It's not a cadaver."

"Huh? Oh. Ha ha ha…" Hanataro laughed nervously. "Sorry. Force of habit. I haven't really done a lot of cooking before. Not anything too involved. Simple things. But I always end up making a mess."

"That's part of cooking." Victor placed his hand on Linnette's shoulder with a smile. "Once Linnette tried to cook a meal all on her own. The kitchen was a complete mess."

"I didn't know the flour would get everywhere like that. And the bag fell over on me so I had to clean that up, too. I thought it would be more like snow. Not powder." She turned to Hanataro to explain. "I got it on the floor and tried to clean it up with a towel but all I did was push it around. Using a mop wasn't much better. I ended up making a bigger mess. So they cleaned it up for me."

"What were you trying to make?"

"Cookies. I was inspired by a TV show I was watching where they made it from scratch and I wanted to try it. I tried to copy what they were doing on the show. I didn't have a recipe."

"You also forgot to turn on the oven."

"I know! I was wondering why it was taking so long to cook! They were in there for almost five hours."

"Did it work out in the end?" Hanataro wanted to know.

"No, we threw them out and had ice cream instead."

"Ice cream huh?" Ichigo grinned.

"Yeah. They even let me eat it in the den while we watched TV together. They said it was for a nice attempt. I'll try again some other time. I'll use a recipe."

"Good thinking."

Linnette finished chopping the carrot and held up the pointed stub on the end. She held it in front of Hanataro's face and giggled. "Just like a snowman."

He smiled and decided to play, too. Taking two pieces of carrot, he held them up to his head. "I've got horns."

Linnette held up two uncut carrots to her head. "Mine are bigger."

"We'll never eat tonight if all you guys do is play with the food." Ikkaku and Yumichika had come into the kitchen for a drink and spotted the two younger members of the group playing games while they cooked.

Linnette lowered the carrots to the counter and started to cut them up. Hanataro did the same, avoiding Ikkaku's gaze. He looked ashamed. Victor shot Ikkaku a look. Ikkaku shot him one back, then turned around and went into the den, demanding the remote.

"I have an idea," Victor said, trying to cheer them up again. "When we're done cutting these up, why don't we arrange them into a picture? Art you can eat."

"How do we do that?" Linnette asked.

"When you're done cutting, I'll show you."

"We could also race to see who can get done faster."

"No, no. Can't risk any accidents. We'll just make it look pretty on the plate, ok?"

Ichigo watched them for a few minutes before looking towards the den. Ikkaku seemed ruder than usual. Normally he didn't complain this much. He was no gentleman but still. Ichigo wanted to get to the bottom of this. It could have been linked to what was going on, for all he knew.

He went into the den while the others finished up in the kitchen. Ikkaku was sitting on the couch flipping through channels rapidly. Rukia looked annoyed at this. Yumichika didn't seem to mind. He was too busy looking at the photos on the shelves to care.

Ichigo stood in front of Ikkaku, blocking the TV with his body. "What is your problem?"

"Right now, you blocking the screen. Move."

"Not until I talk to you."

Ikkaku leaned his body to the right, trying to look around Ichigo's body.

Ichigo snatched the remote from his hand and turned off the TV. "Listen!"

"What?!"

"I want to know what your problem is. All they were doing in there was having a little fun."

"I don't want to eat something she had caught in her hair."

"It wasn't even touching her head."

"The longer they play, the longer we have to wait to eat."

"Can't you let them have a little fun?"

"First of all, we're on a mission and things are happening. We don't have time for fun. Second of all, she's not a little kid. She's thirteen years old. Shouldn't she be more mature than this? You're three years older than she is and you don't act anything like she does."

"She's having fun in her own way. She's not hurting anybody so I don't see a problem with it."

"I have to deal with my Lieutenant on a daily basis. The last thing I need is to be around someone who's almost as bad."

"She's not nearly as bad as she is, Ikkaku."

"That's why I said 'almost'." Ikkaku swung his leg over the arm of the couch and leaned onto the pile of pillows under his arm in a defiant manner.

"All you've done since you got here is complain and be cold towards Linnette. What is up with you?"

"I told you, I don't like her. She doesn't have to do anything to me or nothing. Some people you just don't like. Don't think that after a moving speech from you, I'm going to become friends with her." He turned away. "You're lucky in that you got to leave during the sleepover they had. Screaming girls and all that crap. It was hell."

"So it was the sleepover that started this?"

"No."

"Then what?"

Ikkaku refused to answer. He kept his eyes pointed in the other direction.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "It's like talking to a two-year-old."

"That's how she acts."

"She's just having fun. She knows when to be serious."

"Those guys baby her too much. She can't do anything without them.

"They're protective of her. And if you bothered to listen at all, you'd know that she has been independent. She tries things. It's not like they do everything for her."

Ikkaku scoffed.

As Ichigo prepared to speak again, Rukia interrupted him. "Ichigo, it's not Linnette that he's pissed about."

"It's not?"

Ikkaku shot her a warning look.

She went on anyway. "Sure, he's annoyed at her, but there's more to it than that."

"Yeah, the fact that I'm bored stiff here. We haven't seen even a glimpse of a Hollow and that is why we were sent here in the first place. I don't know what to do with myself."

"Don't make excuses," Rukia said firmly. "It's not just boredom and it's not Linnette you're mad at. It's her protectors."

That had never occurred to Ichigo before now. "It is?"

"You weren't in the sewer when it happened. You had left already with Hisagi. A few months back during the Hollow Reaper ordeal, Ikkaku had told Victor and Cedric that the only reason why anyone was bothering to look for Linnette was because she was a useful tool. If it weren't for her powers, no one would bother. That sent the both of them into a rage and they pinned him against the wall. We had to talk them out of tearing his head off."

"Yeah," Ikkaku grunted. "The big one crushed my windpipe."

"Hey, you said some pretty insulting things."

He waved her off and looked the other direction.

"Besides," Rukia went on. "I think you're threatened by those two. They're stronger than you and you know it."

Ikkaku flinched.

"You know that they could kill you without much effort at all and at a moment's notice. You also know that they do whatever Linnette wants. If she decides on a whim to have you killed, then they would without hesitation. Not only that, but they would also do it without having to be told if you pose any sort of threat towards her. And you know it. And it scares you, doesn't it?"

"That is ridiculous!" Ikkaku faced her again. "I'm not afraid of them at all! What the hell are you thinking?"

"Maybe you're not afraid of them but you do feel threatened by them."

"I do not!" Ikkaku stood up from the couch and towered over Rukia. "Since when did this turn into a shrink's office or something? What does that have to do with anything? Who cares if I'm being cold towards her? So what?"

"I happen to care," said Ichigo. "She already feels like you hate her. As long as we're all staying here with her, the least we can do is be kind to her."

"I'm not yelling at her, am I? I'm just pissed off, that's all! I don't care what she thinks of me. She cares too much about what other people think."

"Can you blame her? She's always looking to make new friends and she's worried that there's something wrong with her, which is why it's so hard for her to make friends."

"Yeah, yeah, sob story, boo-hoo." Ikkaku started to chew his lip for a moment then went back to arguing. "Look, it doesn't matter, alright? I don't like her and you can't force me to change that. I don't like having to be here with nothing to do but listen to kid games all day around a girl who needs to learn how to grow up and do things herself. And I'm not too fond of those two men, either."

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual." Victor had suddenly appeared in the doorway and began to walk slowly towards Ikkaku, guiding Ichigo out of his path. "From the first time I saw you, I knew that you were the kind of person I didn't want anywhere near Linnette. A degenerate such as yourself."

"A what?!"

"You heard me. Or perhaps ruffian is the term I'm looking for. As a parent, there are certain people I want Linnette to be exposed to and those I don't."

"Pfft!" Ikkaku scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You're not her father so don't pretend to be."

"I never said 'father', did I? I'm acting as her parent. I'm raising her, caring for her and protecting her and doing everything a parent would. So what if our creation was the other way around? She needs us."

"She needs to grow up."

"She should have the right to be happy and make up for lost time."

"Again, she should grow the hell up."

Victor stepped closer. "Can't she have a chance at happiness by living the way she wants to? She's not hurting anyone and she learns a little more each day. She can do things independently if need be. We don't expect her to know how to do everything. Some people need help. Everyone does."

Ikkaku stepped closer to Victor and leaned into his face. "You're just a couple of freaks playing house with a girl who wants to stay a kid forever! And you're indulging it! Tell her to do things herself!"

"She has done things herself. She has tried. Sometimes it doesn't work. She has failed. So we help show her the right way to do it and the next time she gets a little better. What's wrong with us being a family to her?"

"The fact that she's helpless without you and can't do a damn thing on her own!"

"That is not true. I think that we know a little more about her than you do. You have no right to lecture me on how to care for my little girl."

"Everything is a game to you, isn't it? All you do is play games with her!"

"Sometimes to get anything done, even a mundane task, you have to make it more appealing to the person. It eases stress. You can't tell me you've never made a game out of killing Hollows. Like how many you could kill over another or how quickly you could get it done."

Ikkaku was guilty of that, but he refused to submit to this man. "She has to learn that not everything is a game and to be serious."

"She does. If you'd pay any attention at all…"

"You guys do everything for her! Don't give me that! There's no reason why she can't do something."

In the midst of their argument, Linnette had wandered into the den, clutching her newly purchased book to her chest. She had followed the voices in an attempt to find Victor. She was very excited about her new book and was eager to start it. Seeing the two arguing made her stop, unsure if she should interrupt or not. But her desire was too strong to ignore. She stood beside Victor and tugged on his jacket to get his attention. She wouldn't speak unless spoken to herself. That way she wouldn't be interrupting. That was her logic, at least.

Victor felt the tugging and looked down. Losing sight of Victor's eyes made Ikkau's blood boil. He hated being ignored in the middle of a conversation. He took it as an insult. Like he wasn't worth the other's time.

"What is it, honey?"

She held up the book. "Since dinner is still cooking, we have a couple of hours, right? So I thought we could get started on the book. Would you please read it to me?"

As Victor opened his mouth to answer, Ikkaku's loud voice made Victor's mute. "Read it yourself! Are you stupid or something?"

Linnette's blue eyes went wide and she flinched. Looking up at the angry Ikkaku, she tried to answer him, but all that came out was a squeak. Then her eyes fell to the ground, moving quickly as if in search of something. Then, holding the book tightly to her chest, she turned and ran.

"Lin…" Ichigo could hear her footsteps on the stairs on her way up to her room and the door slamming shut.

The room was silent.

Suddenly, Victor grabbed the back of Ikkaku's shirt and hoisted him off the ground, carrying him out of the room. "OUT!"

Ikkaku tried to grab the doorframe but Victor wouldn't let him. Brows furrowed together and eyes narrowed, Victor carried Ikkaku through the house and toward the door. Yumichika chased after him, demanding answers.

"What are you doing? Put Ikkaku down! Where are you taking him? Let him go! What is wrong with you?"

Victor opened the door and literally threw Ikkaku into the yard with one hand. "If you can't be civil, then get out of our house! You are no longer welcome in our home!"

Ikkaku spat out a mouthful of grass and got to his feet, furious. "What the hell?! What did I do?!"

"Insulting Linnette like that and making her run up to her room..! I'd be shocked if she weren't crying right now after what you just did!"

"What did I do?!" he snapped. "All I did was tell her to read the damn book herself! What's the big deal?"

"You called her stupid!"

"So what? Why else wouldn't she read the thing on her own unless she were lazy or just plain stupid? Why not read the thing herself?"

"Because she can't read!"

Ikkaku was silent, caught off guard by his answer. "W-what?"

"She has a learning disability," Victor explained from the doorway. "She can't understand what she reads. We're teaching her to overcome it, but because it was caught so late in her life, it's that much harder. Why do you think we home school her? The children at public school would make fun of her constantly because of her disability. She got so discouraged with that kind of negative influence. Because she can't read at the same level as everyone else, they would call her stupid… just like you did a moment ago."

Ikkaku looked down.

"Calling her that in her own home… We're trying to build her confidence. Saying such a thing to her probably stirred up all sorts of bad memories. She can't help it. It was something she was born with and it doesn't make her stupid."

"Well, like I knew that!"

Victor took a step back with his hand on the doorknob. "If you cannot be civil or understanding and learn how to think before you speak, you can stay out there. You're not coming back in if all you'll do is torment my little girl." He slammed the door shut and locked it. Ikkaku was out there to stay.

Yumichika looked stunned. Rukia had been completely silent, but the look on her face told Ichigo that she agreed with Victor completely. Ichigo watched Victor make his way over to the stairs, going up to Linnette's room in an attempt to comfort her.

It looked like Ikkaku's temper got the better of him and earned him a long stay in the yard. Something had to be done to earn their trust back. If they ever had any trust for him in the first place.

* * *

I'm sure people have noticed Ikkaku's behavior in this Malum, and this explains why for the most part. If you recall Malum Lues, there was an incident... Well, either way we all know they don't like each other so how else would someone behave when they have to stay with their worst enemy or close enough? I'd hate to see how things would be if they met Kenpachi. D:

Please review! ^-^


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Ichigo looked at the ceiling in silence. Victor had went to console Linnette over an hour ago and hadn't come down since. Either Ikkaku had really upset Linnette or Victor was trying to distract himself from his fury. Ichigo looked out the window with a view of the back yard. Ikkaku, with nowhere else to go, had circled around the house countless times since he had been kicked out. He finally stopped to take a rest in the middle of the back yard, picking at the blades of grass with his left hand.

Unable to handle the silence for another moment, Ichigo stood up and went out into the yard. He walked up to Ikkaku and sat down on his left. He didn't look up. "Hey."

"I don't need anymore lectures, alright?" He snarled.

"I'm not going to lecture you. I just wanted to check up on you. That's all." Ichigo faced forward. "Jeez, you've been in one hell of a mood lately."

Ikkaku sighed. The bitter look on his face subsided. "I know. You're right. I haven't been myself lately. Even I've realized that by now."

"Then what's the problem?"

Ikkaku stretched out one of his legs and continued to pull at the grass with his hand. "I don't know… I'd hate to say it, but maybe Rukia's right."

"About what?"

"I don't know, everything, I guess. I mean… I hate kids, especially ones with lots of energy. The sleepover put me in a real bad mood. But that was only a small part of it. Maybe it's not her. Maybe it's them." He stopped pulling the grass. "Maybe I am threatened by them."

Ichigo looked at the clump of grass ripped from the earth laying by Ikkaku's still hand.

"I'm not scared of them. It's just that… I don't know. I know that they're impossibly strong. There's even a part of me that's pretty damn sure that they can easily defeat my Captain in a moment's notice. It comes so easily to them. It pisses me off, but even that's not it. I can't explain it."

"You feel kind of useless because of their strength," Ichigo said. He thought he had it figured out. "They don't need your help. You're just sort of here and that pisses you off like crazy. Am I right?"

Ikkaku stared at the ground for a while, then scoffed. "Hm. Maybe that's it." He sighed. "I don't know. I guess it's a lot of things building up." He leaned back on his hands. "I'm also worried."

"That we haven't figured out what's causing everyone to act like this?"

"Yeah… I mean, we were told that it was a Hollow problem but that girl couldn't do anything about it so it might not be a Hollow issue. But…" Ikkaku looked at the cloud drifting over the tops of the trees before he continued in a low voice. "I've never seen Yumichika look at me like that before. That look in his eyes… I've never seen that look before. Not from him and not at me. That's for sure. And you heard what he said. He was actually willing to fight me. He would never do such a thing. He has a hard enough time coming at me seriously when we're sparing back at the dojo."

"That's because he's afraid you'll bruise his flawless features," Ichigo half joked.

That made Ikkaku chuckle. "Yeah, guess so…" His smile started to fade. "Still… I just can't get over that look he gave me. That was him, but it wasn't. There's nothing I can do for him. I have no idea who or what I'm fighting. It's confusing as hell."

Ichigo leaned back on his hands as well. "It's like you said. It's a lot of things. Try not to let it get to you."

"Usually I don't let it get to me like this." He turned his head, finally looking at Ichigo. "I didn't mean to insult the girl like that. She's not my favorite person in the world and I have a lot of criticism for her, but I didn't mean to hurt her feelings like that. I didn't know."

"Even so, you didn't have to call her stupid."

"That's not how I meant for it to come out. She showed up at a bad time. I was already fueled."

Soft footsteps swept across the grass behind them. At first they mistook it for the wind but there was no breeze. They turned around. Victor was walking towards them both with two pieces of paper in his hands. The moment he saw him approach, Ikkaku tensed up. If Victor was going to attack him, he was going to fight back. Instead of fighting, Victor bent down and handed Ikkaku one of the papers.

"Read this."

Ikkaku took the paper and looked it over. He frowned and held up the paper looking very upset. "What the hell is this dribble?"

Ichigo looked at the paper, instantly as confused as Ikkaku. It appeared to be writing but like looked like someone had smashed the keyboard with their palm and passed it off as print. It made no sense at all.

Victor pointed to the paper. "Hard, isn't it? That… is what Linnette sees when she tries to read."

Ikkaku looked at the paper again. "These don't even look like words. How the hell are you supposed to even pronounce any of this crap?"

"See how she can have such a hard time of it?" He handed him the other piece of paper. "Sometimes, this is also what she sees."

This piece of paper was different. These were real words, only mirrored. It was like trying to read a reflection. Very difficult but not impossible.

"We home school her," Victor explained. "We have a different method to teach her how to read and comprehend it. We read to her. When she gets a new chapter book, we read her a chapter a night. Sometimes more depending on the day. When we finish reading it, we let her reread it herself. Having heard the story once before, she is able to figure out a word she does not understand based on logic and memory. It works for her. So in the future when she comes across a word she saw in the book, she's able to figure it out. She knows that she's not at the same level as everyone else and is easily discouraged, but she's shown more improvement with us than she ever did in public school, with teachers who told her that she was just lazy and the students who called her stupid."

Apologizing wasn't a habit of Ikkaku's, but he did it when he knew that he was in the wrong. Swallowing his pride, he confessed to his guilt, handing back the papers and bowing his head low. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult her. I was just angry and lost my temper."

Victor took the papers back and folded them into his jacket. "Surprisingly enough, Linnette didn't need that much consoling. Her feelings were hurt but she got over it within the first ten minutes after you said it."

"Then why were you up there for so long?" Ichigo asked. He hadn't seen him for quite some time.

"I had to blow off a little steam myself. I also wanted to help Ikkaku here understand how difficult things can be for her." Victor stood up, keeping his eyes fixed on Ikkaku. Ikkaku returned his stare. "You may come in and eat if you like."

Ikkaku stood up. "So…" he said slowly, peering at Victor sideways. "You're letting me back into the house?"

"As long as you do not insult her again… yes."

"We could just pretend this whole thing never happened and move on from here. I haven't been in the best of moods lately. Maybe all I needed was you kicking me out to finally see it myself. Sorry about all that."

Victor nodded and walked back to the house. Ikkaku followed. Ichigo started toward the house, then stopped. He started running. He raced passed the other two and bounded up the back steps and onto the wooden porch. He ran face-first into the sliding glass doors, stumbling back from the force and rubbing his nose.

"Are you ok?"

Ichigo looked up with glowing yellow eyes. "Where is she? Where's my little princess?"

Victor and Ikkaku looked at each other. The Hollow was back.

Finally figuring out that there was a door there, Ichigo's hand fumbled with the knob and threw the door opened excitedly. "Oh, Linnette!" he called into the house. "Guess who's back!" He bounded into the house in search of her.

"I take it that he's going to show up at random, huh?" Ikkaku muttered.

"Seems that way," Victor answered back.

* * *

Dinner always seemed to be a spectacle at the house with Soul Reapers around. Allowed back into the house, Ikkaku was taking advantage of the hospitality and eating as much as he could of the food offered to him. Normally having to only cook for one, the food quantity Victor had laid out resembled a feast for the additional company. Even so, the food was disappearing quickly. Ikkaku was already on his third helping. Byakuya chose to sit at the head of the table as he normally did at home eating his meal much slower than the others. Even if he was trying to eat in a sophisticated manner, it was clear that Byakuya was enjoying the food so much that he was eating at a somewhat fast pace than he normally did. Now finished with his first helping, he was silently looking at the remains on the table, wanting seconds but too nervous to ask. He normally never had a second helping of food. But the cooking was too good to pass up. Sensing this, Victor filled up his plate again and offered it to him. Knowing it would be rude to pass up his kindness, Byakuya took it from him and no one had to know a thing.

The one who was a real monster at the table was Ichigo. Or rather the Hollow in control of his body at the time. He was attacking the food on his plate, wolfing it down as fast as he could. At times, he even forgot how to use his utensils, grabbing the food with his hands and ripping it apart with his teeth. He snatched away pieces of roast with his stained hands and shoved it into his mouth, chewing noisily.

"You, uh…" Hanataro said nervously from across the table. "You can slow down, you know…"

Ichigo ignored him and continued eating.

"You'd think you've never eaten before," remarked Rukia.

He swallowed the food in his mouth before answering her back. "This is the first time I've ever eaten. Out in the open like this in this body in full control… and I've never eaten food like this before." He tore off a piece of meat with his teeth. "I'm liking this a hell of a lot."

"Well, try to control yourself. You're eating like a pig."

He belched at the same time Ikkaku did and continued to eat.

"At least chew with your mouth closed."

"Make me."

The others tried to ignore him to the best of their abilities. It wasn't easy. It was like telling a hyperactive child to sit down. As long as he wasn't attacking anyone, they chose not to do anything about it and continue with the meal.

As he shoved another slab of meat into his mouth, he froze. Ichigo's eyes returned to their usual brown and let the piece of meat fall from his open mouth. He looked down at his slimy stained hands and up at the people staring at him. "What happened and what is all over my hands?"

"Probably gravy," answered Rukia. "It's in your hair, too."

Ichigo groaned and pulled away from the table. "My stomach hurts, too. What the hell did he do to me?"

"Ate like crazy."

Ichigo stood up and started to excuse himself from the table. "I'm going to go clean up."

"Please do."

Ichigo went upstairs and took a hot shower. He made sure he got all the remains of dinner out of his hair and from under his fingernails before stepping out and drying off. His clothes were laid out for him by the sink, neatly folded, and his dirty ones were missing. Those two were quick. His clothes were probably in the wash at this time.

He wrapped the towel around his waist and wiped the steam from the mirror with his hand. His hand left wet streaks across the mirror but at least he could see himself. He wiped his hand off on the towel and looked back at his reflection.

"You look troubled," said his reflection.

He jumped. That wasn't him. The eyes were different. He calmed down quickly and groaned. "Well, this is new. You've never spoken to me in a mirror before. A little cliché, don't you think?"

He laughed. "Keep an open mind, would you, King?"

"What do you want? Second helping of dinner? Made one hell of a spectacle out of me."

His Hollow laughed again. "Dinner and a show! Be proud!" He sneered. "But let's get back to the topic, shall we? You look like there's something bothering you. Is there?"

"Yeah. You."

"Aw, now I'm hurt."

"You keep popping up at random. Why is that?"

"How the hell should I know? You think I want to? If I'm going to take control, I want it to be on my own terms. Like I don't have things to do myself. It's a headache for me, too, trust me."

"You seem to be having a lot of fun for someone who's being put out."

"I'm making the most of it. Sue me. But we both know that you're upset over something else. It's not just the random changes. So what's eating you, your Majesty?"

Ichigo looked away from the mirror and at the moist sink. "I'm not even sure myself. It's the changes that are bothering me but…"

"But..?" his Hollow prompted.

Ichigo heard laughter from downstairs and looked at the closed door. It sounded like they were having fun. "I guess… I'm worried about them."

"Oh?"

"They've been coming after me and they don't even know why. And like Ikkaku said… Yumichika's never had that look in his eyes before. He was never willing to take on Ikkaku if he could help it, but he was willing to do it then. Something is wrong with them. But it can't be a Hollow's doing. Linnette's voice answered that for us."

"Ah, little Linnette… It's a pleasure to be reunited with her again…"

Ichigo ignored his doppelganger. "But we were sent here on a mission saying that a Hollow was involved. It's not."

"So you're thinking that they were mistaken?"

He frowned. "No. I think they knew all along."

His Hollow hummed. Whether it was out of amusement or acknowledging his existence, Ichigo did not know.

"Think about it. They know that Linnette has the power to control Hollows and Victor and Cedric possess the strength to kill them with no problem. If there was a Hollow problem, why would they send Soul Reapers here? We haven't seen any Hollows anyway. And it all happened so fast. I didn't have time to do anything. Or let my family know that I was leaving somewhere. It's like… they wanted to take me away from them. Maybe this whole this was a distraction..?"

"Now why would they do something like that and not tell you?"

Ichigo looked back at his Hollow reflected in the mirror. "I don't think the others know, either. But I'm sure Byakuya does. I think he was sent here to keep an eye on us or something. Taking me away from home, leaving me here and what's been happening to them must all be connected somehow."

"Sounds complicated…"

Ichigo looked at the sink again. "It is… I have no idea what's up. I don't know what to do. Should I ask them or should I keep it to myself? If they're doing this they must have a reason. But I have a right to know." He gripped the edge of the smooth sink with his hands and squeezed.

"Might want to watch that temper, King. Although, if you go downstairs and punch Byakuya in the face, I won't stop you. It might be funny."

Ichigo removed the towel and started to get dressed. "I'm not going to bring it up just yet. There may be a reason for all this. But the next time something happens, I'm opening my mouth. I'm not going to be kept in the dark if I can help it."

"Good for you. Just let Linnette know that I'll be waiting for those songs any time. Whether you're there or not."

When Ichigo looked back in the mirror all he saw was his own reflection and no one else.

He draped the towel over his shoulders and opened the door, releasing the steam. It was much cooler in the hall, like stepping out of a sauna. Following the laughter, Ichigo went downstairs and saw Linnette playing a game with Hanataro and Rangiku. She was trying to ride on Hanataro's back but he wouldn't get off his knees. Rangiku was teasing him, asking if he was too weak to lift a 90 pound girl. Victor was in the kitchen cleaning up while Rukia carried the dishes from the dining room over to the sink, wanting to be of help. Cedric was watching Linnette play, making sure she was in good care.

Ichigo stepped further into the room, watching them play. Linnette tried to get others to join but there were no takers. Rangiku tried to drag Yumichika into the fun, but he grabbed onto the counter and refused to let go. Since he didn't play, Ikkaku only observed from a distance and stayed out of their way. Ichigo moved forward and bent down to where Hanataro was pinned down and patted his head.

"Too heavy for you?" he teased. "Come on, you can do it."

"Sorry…" he mumbled into the floor.

Linnette got off his back and offered to carry him instead. Cedric looked on with a discouraging face. He wasn't too keen on the idea. He was afraid she would hurt herself carrying another person on her back.

"I could carry you," Ichigo said to distract her.

She rolled across the floor and got to her feet. "We could also play something else. Like tag out in the yard."

"It's too dark for that, Linnette," Cedric told her.

"We have a Frisbee we could toss around."

"Again, it's too dark."

"Cards?" she suggested, unable to think of anything else.

"That would be fine."

Able to come up with something doable, Linnette started opening drawers in the living room, trying to find a deck. "Where are the cards, Cedric?"

"They're either in the den or in the study."

"I'll get them." Linnette ran to the den. As she turned from the dining room to the hallway her head plunged into something dark. She had entered at the same time someone was trying to leave. She jumped back, stepping on the person's foot. She looked up at Byakuya who towered over her in comparison. Her face was in perfect alignment with his solar plexus. She backed up. "Oh. Sorry."

He stepped to the side slightly allowing her to pass. This was her home after all. He had to yield to her. "It's alright."

She went into the den and started to open drawers in Victor's desk. To Byakuya it seemed like a strange layout to the house, having to enter the hallway from the dining room. Since Linnette rarely visited the study, it was never an issue with her.

Byakuya moved into the dining room and saw his sister on her knees, helping to clean up the fallen bits of food onto a plate, muttering in disgust. "He could at least chew his food a little better…"

Cedric entered from the other door and bent down in front of her. "I'll get that." He had a small vacuum in his right hand. She moved back as he switched the device on with his thumb and ran it over the carpet. The pieces of food disappeared as the mouth of the vacuum glided over the floor with little effort.

Rukia took the plate into the kitchen where Victor was washing dishes. Byakuya watched then moved into the living room. Ichigo was talking with the others, making small talk. Byakuya wasn't too interested. He sat down on the couch to let his stomach settle. It was a satisfying meal with little left over.

Then Linnette came running from the dining room and pulled on Victor's jacket with both hands. "Victor, come look at this!"

He turned off the faucet and wrapped his wet hands in a small towel. He was dragged into the dining room by Linnette who couldn't wait to show whatever it was to him.

"Look, look! See?"

Ichigo got up and followed them. If it were anything dangerous, she would have said so. This must have been something different.

She opened the sliding door and stepped onto the back porch in her bare feet and pointed up at the sky. "See? Look!"

The Soul Reapers gathered on the back porch and looked up. There was a full moon out and there were patches of stars twinkling overhead above the house.

"So?" Ikkaku snorted, unimpressed.

"We never see this many stars this close to the city. It's really rare that we would see any so clearly like this. And the moon is really bright tonight, isn't it?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika retreated back into the house, having seen enough. Rangiku did the same, wanting a chance at the TV. After a minute, Rukia and Byakuya went back in as well with Cedric.

Rukia turned and saw Ichigo and Hanataro still staring up at the night sky. "Coming?"

"In a minute," Ichigo answered. He and Hanataro moved closer to where Linnette was standing with Victor, looking at the stars.

Close to the city like this, it was hard to see stars. This was indeed rare. The stars they could see clearly were few, but the moon was very bright tonight and full. Ichigo felt kind of nostalgic looking at the sky like this. Then he remembered. He had spent a night like this with Veneno on the roof looking up at the moon and the stars. Looking at Linnette, he realized that they had the same look of wonder on their faces as well.

The night air was cool and lights from the house made their shadows stretch long across the wooden porch. The deck of cards forgotten on the dining room table in the warm house made everything seem so far away in that moment. As if standing in the dark night air might as well have been a whole other world.

Ichigo looked at Hanataro who had decided to lean his upper body against the wooden railing beside Victor and Linnette to look at the sky for just a few more minutes. Ichigo moved closer to join them. In that moment he noticed something very interesting. While Linnette was looking up at the starry moonlit sky with a smile on her face, shivering slightly from the cold wind on her bare legs and feet, Victor was watching her.

* * *

Now that everyone was fed, cleaned and in bed, it was the perfect time for Victor to tend to his evening chores. He had finished reading to Linnette and tucked her in. Cedric and Victor switched places. The the larger man was keeping watch over the second floor of the house. He checked on the women sharing their unused room. Both were asleep in their beds. Victor went downstairs and looked into the den. The boys were all asleep as well. He tiptoed out of the room and into the kitchen. The dishes were washed and put away and the table was spotless. As was the dining room table. The mess from earlier was gone and everything was as it was before. He looked at the couch in the living room. Empty, except for a blanket and pillow left out for the Captain. He looked back into the dining room and saw a dim ray of light on the carpet. The light was coming from under the closed door of the study. Victor opened the door and looked inside.

"What are you doing in here?"

Byakuya looked up from the desk chair, book in his lap. "Reading."

"It's late."

"I couldn't sleep."

Victor moved into the room, closing the door slightly behind him. He made sure it was still open a crack. "Normally after eating one of my roasts like that, a food coma settles in. The others are out in the next room."

"I eat until I'm satisfied. It's the others who see a free meal and are unable to stop themselves. Such gluttony. They should realize that a full stomach makes a slow Soul Reaper. Someone from Squad 11 should know that."

"Regardless… I'm glad my meal was enjoyed."

Byakuya turned the page in the book he was reading but was no longer reading. His eyes had stopped moving. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Do you ever eat?"

"I don't need to. It holds no purpose to me. Or to Cedric."

"I asked if you ever did. Not if you needed to."

Victor nodded once. "Yes. Normally at a social event to keep up appearances. If food is offered to me by another adult. I do not want to seem rude."

"Can you taste it?"

"Yes. I do have all five senses."

"Do you enjoy it? Eating, I mean."

He shrugged. "It seems rather pointless to someone like me. Cedric views it as a waste of time. I have to agree to a certain extent. If it serves no purpose, then…"

"But you have done so."

"Yes. I've also eaten the things Linnette has offered to me. She has attempted to cook before. I tried what she made and gave her pointers for how to improve." He gestured to the wine display in the dining room. "You've seen my collection of wines, haven't you? The bottles Ikkaku left me, at least. I prefer wine to just about anything else. You're welcome to have a glass if you like."

"No, thank you."

"Why all the questions this evening?" Victor asked him.

Byakuya lowered his head as if he were preparing to continue reading. "I'm just trying to understand you better. That's all."

"Were you having doubts or..?"

"Nothing like that, no." He kept his place in the book with his index finger. "I've just been curious about you lately. At one time, I believe you were an enemy of Ichigo. Isn't that right?"

Despite this, Victor seemed unfazed by the statement. "It's in the past. Mistakes have been made."

"You turned innocent people into Hollows."

"I was under the impression that Linnette would want that. I exist to make her happy. I thought it would please her. I was wrong. Ichigo managed to forgive me. Can you do the same?"

Byakuya looked up from the book. "There's nothing for me to forgive. It was up to Ichigo. But I do have another question for you."

"Yes?"

"You said that you did it for Linnette. You wish to make her happy. Do you ever think for yourself? Or is everything you do one of her whims?"

Victor looked amused to be asked this. "Speaking to you right now is a demonstration of my free will. I was never asked to do so. And Linnette has no deep connection to you so there is no reason why I should be concerned about your wellbeing. But you're right in a way. I have a need to serve her and do her bidding while guiding her way. We both have questions and we both have our uncertainties. There are many things I don't know, about myself and others. But I've come to accept that."

He touched his chest, tugging at the fabric of his white jacket as he squeezed.

"I feel a deep connection to her. It goes beyond her being my creator. It's like we're one and the same. Cedric as well. It's like we're a part of Linnette. A part of her spirit. I can't describe this feeling that we both share, but it's powerful. Our love knows no bounds. No matter what happens, we will always be there for her. Our lives are connected."

Byakuya saw the sincerity in Victor's eyes and could actually feel the limitless amount of love pouring from his being as he thought of the girl sleeping upstairs. He, too, felt the same kind of transcending love for another. He had been so in love with his late wife that honor and status meant nothing to him as long as he could be with her and make her happy. He felt like he could relate in a way. But the love he had seemed different. He knew there were different kinds of love in the world, but Victor's was unique. Limitless love, unshakable loyalty, a powerful desire to do her bidding, impossible strength. Somehow, it reminded him of how a Zanpakuto must feel about its master. An incomparable feeling of love and devotion. A relationship like no other.

The book slipped from Byakuya's still hand.

Victor glanced up and saw the book hit the floor with a dull thud. "Byakuya?"

He wasn't moving.

"Byaku-"

The Captain jumped to his feet and pushed Victor out of the way. Victor saw him swallow something, heading toward the den and followed him at a distance. Byakuya, now in Soul Reaper form, went into the den and returned with Ichigo thrown over his shoulder. He gave Victor a quick glare then ran for the door. Victor allowed this for two reasons. First, he knew that he could head him off quite easily. The second reason being that he couldn't risk confronting him in the house. Something could get broken and he didn't want to wake the others.

As soon as the front door was open, Byakuya was outside with his prize. The sudden gust of cold air made him shiver and shut his eyes as a strand of his dark hair wiped against his face. When he opened them, he found Victor standing in front of him. His white suit and ominous stance made him look like a ghost in the night. The moonlight made his deep blue eyes sparkle in an eerie and almost sensual way. Byakuya stood his ground, tightening his hold around Ichigo.

"Again we have to do this?" Victor said. "And we were having such a nice conversation, too."

Byakuya pulled out his Zanpakuto. "Scatter…"

The blade began to glow pink and fell away in a thousand pieces, like falling petals and wafted in the cool breeze.

Victor removed his white jacket and folded it, laying it on the stone path. "I won't have another jacket torn to shreds again. These cost money, you know." He removed his tie as well and tossed it onto the folded jacket. The fluttering pink petals had Byakuya surrounded like a speckled wall, slowly revolving around him. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get to him unless he braved that wall of pink light. Knowing what had to be done, Victor dashed in a straight line toward Byakuya.

"A forward attack is pointless," said the Captain.

"This attack surrounds you so it's meaningless to attack from another direction. It'll all end the same way."

"That may be true, but a forward attack is still foolish." With a slight turn of his wrist, the petals converged on Victor's location and attacked. He pushed through the attack and kept running. Victor broke through the wall and kept going. The petals surrounding Byakuya looked like pink snow. As unyielding as ever, Byakuya attacked again. The power of his Zanpakuto was no match for Victor's inhuman body. As the thousands of sharp blades of pink cut through his clothes, his flesh was never torn. He could feel their razor sharpness but kept going. It was as if the pain was nothing to him. Byakuya turned his blade again and again, trying to slow Victor down. He was considering using Bankai in order to stop this man.

Victor broke through the wall again and made it to Byakuya's safe zone. Taken aback by this, Byakuya took a step back, leaning away from the man inches from his face. "Cedric!"

He felt someone at his back. It was a tag-team affair. Byakuya turned his sword to try to attack Cedric, but he wasn't called to fight. He was called to retrieve. While Byakuya was distracted, thinking that he would be attacked from behind, Victor grabbed Ichigo and pulled him away. As Byakuya swung, Victor vanished and reappeared in front of the house. He tossed Ichigo into Cedric's awaiting arms.

"Take him back into the house. Make sure no one leaves."

"Alright." Cedric took Ichigo back into the house and closed the front door without another word.

Victor looked back at Byakuya with a grin. "With him out of the way, there's no fear of him being hurt by an attack."

Byakuya twisted the pink pillar behind his back, making it bend like a snake. "Do not interfere with me. I'm taking Ichigo with me."

"No matter how many times you say that, you never explain why. Not once."

"Return him to me now!" Byakuya made it rain pink. Thousands of blades showered Victor like tiny projectiles, tearing apart the land but not the man. He emerged, his clothing nothing more than tattered rags and stood before Byakuya, unfazed as usual.

"You're reckless when frustrated," he remarked.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "How dare you? I always keep a cool head."

"Not in this state, you don't. Shall I prove it?"

He said nothing. He seemed to be trying to read his opponent's next move. Victor stood perfectly still, his tattered clothes flapping in the slight breeze. His skin was unmarked which only frustrated Byakuya further. What did it take to stop this man? Once he finished with him then he could go into the house and retrieve Ichigo. That was his goal. He needed Ichigo.

Without moving his feet, Byakuya attacked. Turning the handle of his sword to the side, he silently commanded his Zanpakuto to attack. A brilliant pink avalanche drove straight at Victor. He didn't flinch. Byakuya watched as he disappeared in a cloud of pink and waited. He turned his sword this way and that, making sure his attack hit him from multiple angles.

A figure jumped out of the cloud and landed on both feet. Victor broke into a sprint. In the blink of an eye, he was standing face to face with Byakuya. The Captain spoke. "Bakudo-"

Victor grabbed his hand and held it in place, refusing to let him finish. He moved swiftly behind Byakuya's back, pinning his arm behind his back. He pressed into his spine, trying to make him kneel. Refusing, Byakuya used his other hand to make his Zanpakuto come.

"I could always hit you in the head, but I don't want to risk hurting you. But I have to stop you somehow. So let's see if you can keep up with my speed."

Holding Byakuya in his arms, Victor started running. Byakuya's feet left the ground, suspended in the air from the momentum. He started to twist, trying to get free. The more he fought, the faster Victor went. He could feel pressure on the back of his head, pushing him back. Buildings became indistinguishable from another. Houses and trees and cars all blended together in one continuous blur. Byakuya shut his eyes as his head began to spin and throb. The pressure on his body became almost unbearable. Victor wasn't slowing down. He was speeding up. Within only a few seconds, he had circled the neighborhood a dozen times. His chest started to collapse, making it impossible to breathe. Byakuya gasped for air. It felt like he was drowning. His body was being crushed.

Victor sped up even more, running at an impossible speed. He was moving so fast, he was impossible to see with human eyes. He could feel Byakuya's body being pressed into his with tremendous force. He could feel Byakuya pulling at his arm, trying to free himself. He felt the panic as his air was sucked away as if he were trapped in a vacuum. Then he felt nothing from him. Victor immediately slowed his pace and halted in the middle of the yard and set Byakuya down. He wasn't breathing. He gave Byakuya's chest a few taps with his hand, trying to remind his lungs how to work. The air returned to him and he started gasping. He coughed and hunched over, holding his chest.

"Are you alright?"

Byakuya gasped a few times until his panting was slower and nodded. After another minute, his breathing returned to normal and he looked at him. "What… did you do..?"

Victor answered before his question would be finished. "Your brain needs oxygen. I figured that if I took that away, you would become lightheaded enough to subdue. There are other reasons, but that's the short version."

Byakuya started to struggle to his feet. Victor helped him stand. Now able to think again, Byakuya realized what had happened. "I did it again. I went after Ichigo."

Victor nodded.

"And once again, I can't remember the reason why I did it."

Victor helped Byakuya back to the house, letting Byakuya use him as a crutch. Though Byakuya didn't want to take Victor up on that offer, preferring to walk using his own strength. His Zanpakuto was recalled and sheathed. Victor opened the front door and showed Byakuya to the couch.

Cedric was standing by the den, eyeing Byakuya suspiciously. Seeing that he was no longer a threat, he returned the Captain's gigai to him. "Ichigo's fine," he said.

"He didn't wake up at all from that?"

"No. Not once."

Victor smiled. "He's a sound sleeper after dinner." His face became serious again. "How are the others?"

"They never changed. They're still asleep."

"So it was just Byakuya this time…"

Byakuya looked at the two men. "Why do you suppose that is? Why did I change and no one else? There has to be a pattern. When I reported this, no one could confirm a common denominator."

"Maybe it has to do with consciousness," suggested Cedric. "You returned to normal when something effects your consciousness in some way, like if you're knocked out or hit in the head. And the last time this happened, only you and Yumichika were effected. Hanataro was napping. This time you were the only one awake and the others were asleep and unaffected. So maybe that has something to do with it."

"That does make sense." Victor looked at the den and then back at Byakuya. "It's better to talk this over in the morning. It's after midnight now. Besides, if this does only effect you while you're awake, then sleeping would be a good idea."

Byakuya flattened his back against the backrest of the couch, but didn't lie down. "I suppose you're right." He was too troubled to find rest. There were too many things on his mind. Once again, this happened to him and he was unable to do anything about it. They had theories but no answers.

* * *

Please review! ^-^


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

It was early when Linnette woke up the next morning. The sun was barely over the top of the trees. Sunlight fell in weary shafts through the curtain and she watched its advance. Knowing how early it was, she tried to go back to sleep but was already wide awake. No matter how much she tried to get comfortable, she was too restless. She hid under the layers of sheets and blankets, looking at the duller shade her colorful sheets made in the thin light. It was like being in a fort or a mysterious cave made out of silk and cotton. Her bed was still warm from her body heat but the parts closer to the edge of the bed were cool. Finding it harder to breathe under the blankets, Linnette tossed them back and sat up, brushing her long hair out of her face.

Her room was dark and quiet. As she tossed the blankets back, she knocked one of her pillows to the floor. She hung over the edge of the bed to reach it and pulled it back onto the bed. She then rolled to the edge of the bed and stood on the carpeted floor. The carpet was cool under her feet but soft. She decided to do one of Victor's chores for him by making her own bed. It was easy to do on her own and it was hers, after all. She tucked the blankets under the mattress and set the pillows up the way he always did. She placed her favorite stuffed animals in front of the pillows and stepped back to admire her work. She liked the outcome.

She turned to the rest of the room. Everything was in its place, as usual. Toys picked up, clothes put away and books back on the shelves. She decided to get dressed and start her day. She had plenty of time before the others got up. She went to her closet and looked over her many outfits, trying to decide. She ended up picking a pair of black shorts that fit tightly around her legs and a long shirt which fit her like a dress. She brushed her hair in the mirror beside the closet and piled her pajamas by the door for Cedric to take. She would have taken them to the laundry room herself, but that involved going downstairs and through the living room where the light sleeping Byakuya lay. Then she would have to go past the dining room and the study before she got to the laundry room. She decided to wait.

Waiting got boring and Linnette wanted to do something with all this energy she had. She opened the bedroom door and looked into the dark hallway. Trying to be sneaky and have fun at the same time, she crawled on her hands and knees down the hall. She passed the bedroom which was occupied by Rukia and Rangiku. From the sound of things, they were still sleeping. She rolled like an egg over to the bathroom and crept inside.

After she was done, she left the bathroom and tiptoed to the staircase. She sat on the top stair and slid her way down one step at a time while holding onto the railing with both hands, trying not to make a sound. When she reached the bottom step, she peered around the corner into the living room. Byakuya had his back to her on the couch, apparently asleep. The kitchen was quiet and empty. Victor hadn't started breakfast yet. She had yet to look at the clock, but this alone told her how early it must have been.

She heard a car outside stop in front of their house and then drive away after a minute. She could see the taillights from the rectangular windows on either side of the front door. Curious, she went over to the door and tried to look outside. The windows were hard to see out of, as if someone had smeared gel over the glass. But was how they always looked. To get a better look, she opened the front door and looked out into the yard. The flag to the mailbox was up. The mail always came early to the house. She would see the letters on the table at breakfast. Putting on her shoes, Linnette went outside to fetch the mail. She closed the door on her way out. There was dirt on the stone walkway which was strange. Cedric always kept the yard so tidy. There was never any dirt on it. Either something had happened during the night or he had neglected to sweep the other day.

Dew glistened on the yard, clinging to the tiny blades of grass. The air was cold, making it feel like late fall. They had been having some warm days lately, leading many people to believe that it was summer. But it was still spring here. There were going to be days like this often, making her wardrobe confusing. She was never sure if it would be warm enough for a skirt or cold enough for pants. She liked wearing dresses, so she loved the warmer weather. What she didn't like were the bugs that came with it.

When she got to the mailbox, she opened the flap on the front and looked inside. There was mail, alright. She reached in and grabbed the white cluster and pulled it out. She closed the door and put the flag down with one hand while she flipped through the mail, counting. They had a new magazine and six letters. Since Ichigo was already here, she knew there wouldn't be any mail from him in this batch. She was always happy when she got mail from him. Nothing in the mail looked like it was for her. It was all official-looking. They must have been bills or whatever it was that adults got in the mail. She hurried back to the house, cutting across the dew covered grass, getting her legs and feet wet. When she got to the door, she held the mail in one hand and tried to open the door with her other hand. It wouldn't open. She moved the mail, trying to open it with her other hand. The knob wouldn't turn. It just made a click sound. It was then that she realized that she had locked herself out.

There was only one way to get back in. But she didn't want to wake the others. Maybe the back door. She held the mail in both hands as she ran to the backyard. Her shoes squeaked in the grass, getting even more wet. She reached the back porch and scrambled up the wooden steps. She brushed the wet grass off her legs and stepped up to the sliding doors. They, too, were locked. There was no doorbell to ring back here. On the plus side, Victor's study was right on the other side of the dining room which was where the doors faced. She knocked quietly, tapping the glass with the knuckle of her index finger.

"Victor?" she whispered.

There was no answer. He must not have heard her. She knew they always came whenever she was in danger and called their names, but she didn't want to shout. And she wasn't in danger so she didn't think that her calling their names quietly would work either. She tapped a little louder and called again.

"Victor?" She spoke as if he were standing right beside her.

A moment later, he was. He appeared in front of the door and slid it open for her. "What are you doing out here, sweetie?"

She held up the mail in her hand. "I went to get it for you."

He smiled and showed her inside. "We could have done that, you know. Why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep anymore," she said with a shrug. She handed him the mail and he set it on the table. "I locked myself out, though. I didn't want to ring the bell and wake everyone up."

Victor bent down and kissed the top of her head sweetly. "You did a very good job. Just one little mistake. You had some good ideas, didn't you? How considerate."

He let her sit in the office for a few minutes before he went to start breakfast. He knew the noise would wake the others who were close by. Linnette wasn't bored with the new magazine they got. She kept herself busy with the pictures while he cooked. Soon, everyone started to wake up and rush to the only bathroom in the house. Despite getting to bed late, Byakuya was the first one up and ready. Then others started to shuffle slowly into the room to eat.

Yumichika got a rude awakening when he rolled over to find Cedric staring at him. Startled, he sat up and backed against the couch. "What are you doing?!" he hissed.

"Watching you sleep."

He frowned. "Yeah, that's not creepy at all…"

Cedric stood up, moving away from the couch, sensing his discomfort. "It's interesting. Everyone sleeps differently. Since we never sleep, we don't know what it's like. The only person we ever see sleeping is Linnette. It's interesting to see how other people do it. We can compare."

"Well, study someone else, would you?" Yumichika stretched, getting off the couch. "Is there food prepared?"

"Victor should be just about done if he isn't already."

"Good. I'm starving."

Cedric watched him leave then looked at the other end of the couch. During the middle of the night, Hanataro had somehow found his way over to Ichigo's side and was currently sleeping on his chest. Cedric nudged him gently, trying to rouse him. "Hanataro."

He lifted his head, Ichigo's shirt sticking to the side of his face from the drool he left behind. Hanataro wiped the drool off the corner of his mouth and looked around sleepily. Then he saw who he was using for a pillow and leapt back. "Wah! Sorry! I didn't mean to sleep on you like that-" He stopped there realizing that Ichigo was still asleep and unaware of anything around him. He wasn't even aware that Hanataro was on top of him.

Cedric helped him off the couch and guided him toward the kitchen. "Get yourself a seat before they're all gone."

After sitting at the table for a few minutes, Rukia kept taking peeks into the den, trying to see movement of any kind on the couch. All she saw was a tuft of orange hair. Annoyed, she let out a groan. "How long is he going to sleep? Everyone else is already eating."

"More for us," said Ikkaku who was on his second helping of eggs and bacon.

Rukia set her fork down and stood up. "I'm going to go get him." She went into the den and stood by the arm of the couch where Ichigo's head was resting. "Hey, wake up, Ichigo."

He didn't move.

"I said wake up," she said louder.

He twitched but didn't open his eyes.

She gave his shoulder a few taps. "Wake up, I said."

He moaned and brushed her off with his left hand.

She slapped his forehead next. "Get up!"

"Nuagh!" Ichigo turned his head away from her and scratched his forehead. "Whaaat?"

"Get up and eat something. It's morning."

He rolled over, trying to ignore her.

"I can keep this up all day if I have to. Get up," she demanded, poking him behind the ear.

Whining and contorting his body to try to escape from her prodding, he finally responded with a grouchy "Alright! I'm up! God, get off my case…"

Satisfied, Rukia returned to the kitchen. "He's coming."

Linnette had finished eating and carried her plate over to the sink to be washed. On her way back to the table, she saw Ichigo, walking unsure into the room. He leaned his body against the doorframe and tousled his hair with his hand with a yawn. He had yet to open his eyes. He wasn't awake yet. When his eyes finally were pried open, they slowly came in to focus on Linnette.

The yellow eyes got bigger. And he smiled. "Well… this sight is worth getting up for."

Noticing the hiss in his voice, the others turned and saw that Ichigo's Hollow was once again in control.

"How long have you been..?"

"Huh?" He looked at the Soul Reapers. "I have no idea. I was asleep. You woke me up, remember?"

So Ichigo was never awake. His Hollow was in control all along.

He turned back to Linnette. "So… My little princess… Got a morning serenade for me?"

She didn't respond.

"Oh, come on. It's better than coffee to get me going, I'll tell you that. Just… ju… st…" The light left his eyes and he fell forward onto the kitchen floor.

"Are you ok?!" Linnette asked, worried.

Ichigo lifted his head and looked at her with brown eyes. "I… I think so. How long was I out?"

Cedric pulled him to his feet. "Hard to tell."

After breakfast was eaten and the dishes were in the sink, Victor returned to the table, refilling everyone's cup. As he poured Byakuya's, he spoke. "Aren't you going to tell them what happened last night, Byakuya?"

Rukia and the others turned. "What? What happened?"

Byakuya knew he had to tell them. It was important. "Last night, it happened again. I went after Ichigo. Victor stopped me and Ichigo was unharmed."

"Again?" said Rangiku. "So they went after him again?"

"No, just me."

"Just you? Weird."

Rukia's mind was already at work trying to solve the case. "So it was just my brother last night… There must have been something he was doing different than the others. There must be a reason why he was the only one effected."

"We established last night that it most likely has to do with consciousness," said Cedric. "Last time this happened, only two were effected. During that time, Hanataro was taking a nap on the couch. This time, Byakuya was the only one awake so he was the only one effected. Also, they never remember the reason for the attacks. They remember doing it but not the reason. Plus, they only return to normal when something disrupts their consciousness. Like, say, a hit to the head or passing out. Restricting blood flow to the head…"

"That does make sense…"

Byakuya set his mug on the table, ready to hold an after-breakfast meeting. "There must be a common denominator. This isn't just happening at random. We have to figure out what's triggering this. So far we've managed to rule out location, since it's happening in the Soul Society as well. It has nothing to do with Linnette or these men. We've established that as well. What else are we missing?"

"Maybe it has to do with food?" suggested Rangiku.

"Not likely," said Yumichika. "At this house, we've all been eating pretty much the same thing. I don't think it's that. Same thing goes for the water. But what about where we're sleeping? Hanataro, Byakuya and I all sleep on a couch. Could that be a factor?"

"Then how do you explain the Soul Society?" asked Ikkaku. "It can't be that either. Besides, this happens when we're awake. We sleep at night, when it doesn't happen."

"I was just throwing it on the table."

"Maybe it has to do with whoever is close to Ichigo at the time. I mean, it seems to happen a lot around him. Could he be a factor?"

"No, because Byakuya was with him when it happened and everyone else was in the house. Only one person was with him at the time. And the first time this happened, no one was near him. But I agree. Ichigo does seem to be a factor."

"We're all Soul Reapers. Could that be a factor?"

"Let's back up a minute," said Rukia. "Aside from us, who else was reported behaving this way?"

Byakuya thought back to his report to the Head Captain. "Captain Hitsugaya reported it. Many people witnessed it, too. Renji reported it happening to him a couple of days ago after the fact. A few other Soul Reapers reported it, but they didn't know it was a problem. Word hasn't gotten out. All we have to go on are the people who report it. No one was told to come forward. Aside from them, Captain Ukitake reported it as well. But he was in bed for the past few days and wasn't feeling well. He thought it was a side effect from his medication. At least that's what Renji reported when he went to visit him. He was too weak to leave the bed, but he said that he found himself very obsessed with Ichigo for a few minutes. Then it went away."

"Even with Renji?"

"Yes. He never did anything about it. He just reported a feeling that was there and left in the next minute."

Rukia repeated the names to herself then shook her head. "I'm not seeing a partner. There must be something they all have in common. I know it happens at random, but why is it even happening at all? And why now all of a sudden? What are we missing? What's the common denominator? Why us? Why Ichigo? What are we missing? We have to be overlooking something…"

The Soul Reapers were silent, thinking. They started to repeat what little they already knew, trying to see if they could draw anything from what little information they had.

While they did this, Victor's brain was hard at work trying to solve this. He started to link things together. Slowly. The Soul Reapers were here on a mission. According to Byakuya it was more or less fake. It involved Ichigo. They weren't sure how. People were acting strangely in Karakura Town. The mission wasn't about a Hollow. Linnette's voice would have had an effect otherwise. They were after Ichigo. Attacking without injuring him. Byakuya, Hanataro, Yumichika, Ukitake, Hitsugaya, Renji… Soul Reapers… Ichigo… Karakura Town… Soul Society… Hollow… Soul Reapers…

Victor lifted his head, a theory forming quickly. His eyes lit up. He may have found it. The common denominator. But he had to make sure.

"I think I know what you have in common."

They turned. "Oh? What is it?"

Victor looked at the Soul Reapers gathered at the table. "How many of you went after Ichigo? Who went after him? Raise your hands."

Ikkaku rolled his eyes. "We already know-"

"Raise your hands. Who went after Ichigo?"

Byakuya, Yumichika and Hanataro raised their hands.

Ikkaku scoffed, knowing that this wasn't going to change anything. They already knew who went after him. They lowered their hands. They were humoring him at the moment. But that all changed in the next moment.

Victor's eyes seemed to glimmer as he spoke his next question cryptically. "How many of you are former Hollow Reapers?"

The same three people raised their hands. Byakuya, Yumichika and Hanataro all stared at each other open mouthed.

"H- Hollow Reapers..?"

"That's the common denominator?"

"Come to think of it, Captains Hitsugaya and Ukitake were Hollow Reapers and so was Renji. A lot of Soul Reapers were."

"But Captain Unohana ran tests. The virus is gone. Everyone's cured. Eveyone's been normal for months. Why would it change all of a sudden?" Now Rangiku was getting very, very nervous.

"That's right," added Rukia. "Besides, the Arrancar responsible for this is dead. He claimed that in his death, the virus would be lifted. Veneno's dead so there's no reason for this to be happening."

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. No, more than that. His heart was pounding against his ribs and doing summersaults in his throat. Veneno wasn't dead. He was, in fact, alive. Ichigo had spoken with him often and snuck away to see him. Gave him gifts, saw after him when he could. The pounding of his heart was deafening. It was pounding so much, he was starting to get dizzy.

Noticing that Ichigo had become very withdrawn at this point in the conversation, Byakuya looked at him. "Is something wrong, Ichigo?"

"Huh?" Ichigo flinched. He was shaking.

There was no way that this was all Veneno's doing. There was just no way. Things didn't add up, but it all made sense. There must have been another explanation. But this seemed like the most logical one.

"Ichigo? Are you alright?"

He looked at the people now staring at him intently. He felt like he was on trial. Even the kitchen light seemed brighter. But its light wasn't burning him half as bad as their stares.

"Is there something you're not telling us?"

He tried to calm himself down. He swallowed hard. This heart seemed to beat faster for a moment then slowed to a better pace. It was an improvement but it wasn't at its natural rhythm. He had to defend Veneno. He couldn't have done this. It didn't add up.

"Well… you know that Arrancar that you guys are talking about? Veneno? The one who made some of you guys Hollow Reapers?"

"Yes, yes? What about him?"

"Well…" He swallowed again. "He's sort of… He's… not dead."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "Run that by me again?"

"Veneno is alive and he's in the Soul Society."

There was a crash and Ichigo jumped. Victor had dropped one of the mugs in the sink, staring at Ichigo in a rare state of shock. Ichigo didn't mean for it to come out like that. But he couldn't stop himself from saying it.

"What do you mean he's alive?" Rukia was out of her seat and leaning forward.

Ichigo really felt like he was being lectured by an angry parent for lying.

"Wait, wait, wait… If he's alive… No, no. Wait a minute…" Ikkaku was beside himself. "Are you tell us that the bastard responsible for nearly ruining everyone and everything in the Soul Society and in the World of the Living is alive and kicking? AND he's hanging out where we sleep? AND that no one's doing anything about it?!"

"Is anyone aware of this?"

Ichigo answered honestly. "Yes."

"And they allow this? To let him go free?"

"Just let me explain!"

"Then go ahead and explain why you've been sitting on this kind of information and doing nothing about it! You were withholding information all along!"

"Just a minute!" Ichigo was out of his seat and yelling at the Captain. "I found out about this by accident!"

"And you never told us!"

"I was told not to!"

"By who?!"

"I… I can't answer that!" He couldn't rat out Akon like that. "But listen to me! Veneno isn't dangerous."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"Because…" Ichigo remembered what he witnessed. What Akon told him. Everything Veneno said and did. "Because he doesn't remember anything. He has amnesia."

"So? That doesn't mean that he's any less dangerous th-"

"Just listen, ok? Please!" Ichigo tried to keep his tone as calm as possible. "Veneno's been working as a Soul Reaper. They put him to work. He's a different person. And he doesn't have his sword with him. He's weaponless."

"Ichigo, he could be hiding it," said Rukia.

"There's more. If he's really responsible for all this, then why aren't you guys Hollows? Huh? His powers allow him to infect people and make them Hollowfy. You're not. No one is. He's not doing this."

They looked at one another.

"He's not the same guy from before. This is different."

Ikkaku glared at Ichigo. "Is that where you've seen sneaking off to all the time? Visiting him?"

"I was just making sure of the same thing you guys are. He can't be doing this. He's got Soul Reapers around him all the time, watching him. The powers are different and he doesn't even remember what he did before. He has no idea that he's even an Arrancar."

Ikkaku sat back in his chair, shaking his head. "I don't believe it. No way."

"It's like Rukia said. It could all be an act."

"The guy's dangerous."

"How could he not be dead? I don't understand this…"

"He must be the cause of it. No doubt about it."

This was why he didn't want to tell them in the first place. He knew this would be their reaction.

"I think Ichigo's right."

Everyone looked at the young girl standing beside Ichigo. Supporting him like she always did.

"If Ichigo says that he's not dangerous than he's not. I believe him."

"Sweetie," Victor bent down to be at eye level with her. "You remember what that man was like. He's a bad person. Evil and dangerous. You know what he did."

"But that's no different than what I did in the past and I'm not evil am I?"

That threw everyone off guard. Victor and Cedric both looked very unbalanced.

"I turned people into Hollows, too. You never said that I was a bad person. Not once. You never told me that I was dangerous. I did the same thing. Does that mean that I have to die, too? Am I going to be killed because of what I did?"

Ichigo's heart was racing again.

Victor looked hurt. He was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say to that. She was right. She was the same way. Never, not once, did he or Cedric ever call her a bad person or evil.

"I knew it from the start. We are similar. He's lonely, like I was. That's how we tried to make friends. We wanted a chance at happiness. That was the past. I know better now and I'm a better person because of it. Veneno's the same way. I'm sure of it. He's not evil. I changed. Why can't he?"

Victor didn't move. He looked like a toy that had wound down and stopped.

Linnette turned to the Soul Reapers to get their word on it. "Right? I changed. So can he. We're different but the same. Ichigo saw good in me and here I am. Look at what happened because someone had faith when everyone else said there was no way. There's a chance that Veneno is different, too. You just have to believe that someone can be good, no matter how bad they seem. Ichigo believed in me and he believes in Veneno. Can't you, too?"

She spoke from the heart. Every word rang with truth and meaning. It was powerful and moving.

Then, at last, Victor moved. Still on his knees, he reached for Linnette and pulled her in, hugging her. He pressed his nose into her spine. It almost looked like he was crying. Cedric, too. They were both overwhelmed by her powerful emotions. They were connected far beyond what could be measured. A profound, indescribable understanding.

If Ichigo hadn't believed in Linnette, who knows what would have happened? It was because of him that she was saved. Ichigo had regretted not being able to do the same for Veneno. Now was his chance.

But it was up to the Soul Reapers to decide what would happen from here. Their word would decide if he could continue or not.

Everyone was silent, keeping their eyes down. It was up to the Captain to speak for them and decide their next move.

Byakuya's face was unreadable. Ichigo knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him to go along with what he wanted, but he had hopes. At this point, all he could do was hope.

"Be that as it may…" he started. "I can't condone this."

"You're not condoning anything. You just have to-"

"There is an Arrancar in the Soul Society." There was a long pause after he said this. "That cannot be overlooked. Nor can the fact that he almost successfully destroyed the Soul Society. No one's forgotten the past caused by him. What happens next deserves more than a minute conversation and a fraction of people thinking that he's changed his ways."

"He doesn't remember anything. He can't remember what he did. You're going to punish somebody for that? It's totally unfair!"

"He is still an Arrancar," Byakuya said. "However, it's impossible to think that one would be allowed in the Soul Society and no one would take notice of it. I suppose it is possible that he is on a short leash of some sort. It's doubtful that they would overlook this fact…"

Ichigo wanted to say something but knew that the Captain's mind was in a delicate balance so he remained quiet.

Byakuya stood up. "I can't overlook it, either. But… for now… I won't do anything about it."

Ichigo blinked in surprise. He didn't think it would be this easy to win him over.

"We were sent here for a mission. We cannot return unless called back. We still have things to do here."

So that was his excuse.

Byakuya looked down at Ichigo with his usual stoic stare. "I will not inform the other Captains of this. Not yet. I will need proof that he is rehabilitated. I doubt he has changed his ways. Just know that if anything happens to anyone, I will report this new information. To the Soul Society or to us."

Ichigo knew what that meant. If anyone started to act strangely again, whether it be here or elsewhere, Byakuya wouldn't stay quiet. The next time he or anyone else tries to capture Ichigo or attacks anyone without just cause, Veneno would not be kept safe. This also meant that if Veneno did anything the Soul Reapers considered bad, he would be dealt with the same way they would any other Arrancar.

This didn't make Ichigo feel any better, but it didn't make him feel any worse, either. For now, Veneno was safe. But he still had to prove that he was no longer a threat to anyone.

Byakuya walked into Victor's study, finished with the conversation. After that, the Soul Reapers started to disperse. Ichigo remained where he was. His body wouldn't move. There were too many things going on inside him at the time.

Rukia chased after her brother. She walked timidly into the study. "Um… Brother?"

Byakuya looked up from the shelf he was browsing through. Rukia was a strong person, but she always showed her more timid, shy, sweeter side around Byakuya. Whether it was out of respect or love or something else, he did not know. But he found that it was harder for him to turn her down and listened to her when she did this. He would respond better to this Rukia than the one that yelled to get people to listen to her.

"Um… may I speak with you for a moment?"

He nodded.

"I just wanted to say thank you for giving Ichigo some time and not reporting this yet."

Byakuya looked back at the shelf. "It's just as was stated before. This doesn't sound like his doing. Veneno's power is different. He has the ability to turn people into Hollows. We are not becoming Hollows. The girl's song had no effect on us. It must be something else. But I will still need proof."

Rukia walked further into the room. "Linnette did put up a good argument before. They are very similar. Veneno did to the Soul Reapers as she did with the humans. She was turning human beings into Hollows. She was infecting so many people. It's hard to overlook how similar they were. And she is right. We didn't kill her for it like we're trying to do with Veneno."

"Only because she's human." Byakuya ran his hand over the book spines with his right hand, looking over the titles printed along the side. "That was never brought up. It was never brought to her attention. Our laws forbid us from harming a human. Even though she was responsible for all that chaos, legally, we could do nothing about it in terms of harming her. Veneno is an Arrancar. We're allowed to kill him."

"That is true, but… Linnette was saved. In different ways. Ichigo offered an alternative. I mean… they both did what they did for the same reasons. They were lonely and scared."

Byakuya's hand stopped over a worn out book spine, listening.

"When Linnette did what she did, she was a different person. But she wasn't evil. She was considered an enemy, but now look. Now she's a great ally. Before, she didn't know that it was wrong and she did come across as a bad person, but that's mostly due to her upbringing. Her past and the way Victor and Cedric were raising her. They told her that she couldn't do anything wrong and that everything she did was perfectly ok. Their logic was that they were there to please her and keep her happy. No one likes being told no and denied what they want. It's upsetting. And they cannot bring themselves to upset her. So they never told her no. Ichigo was the only one to ever do that. He showed her another way to be happy. Really and truly happy without hurting anyone. She's different now. She's a better person because of him introducing another way."

Byakuya's eyes weren't moving. He was focusing on her words and how she said them.

"He believed in her. And Ichigo believes in Veneno. Linnette sees herself in him and she also wants him to change for the better. Just like she did. She knows he isn't a bad person, just like how she was. She truly believes that Ichigo can save him. And… I believe it, too."

She meant every word of it. He could hear it in her voice.

"I know… When I saw what he did to you. What you became… I hated him. I hated him for what he did and I wanted to see that he was done away with for all the pain he caused so many people. He started to take away all the people I care about. People I'm close to. Like you and Renji, Captain Ukitake…" She sighed heavily. "He went after Ichigo, too. Relentlessly. And I was relieved when I was told that Ichigo had stopped him. But Ichigo regretted it. He told me that he felt like he had made a mistake. And for a split second, he felt like he had killed Linnette."

Byakuya lowered his hand and, without looking at her, said, "I know how important this is for Ichigo. Which is why I'm giving him a chance… so he can have one." By giving Ichigo a break and not reporting this, he was giving Veneno a chance as well. A second chance to do right. Or a second chance to attempt it again and maybe succeed this time around. That was what Byakuya was afraid of. But maybe he should give them the benefit of the doubt and stay put for now. He didn't want Veneno to revert to his old ways. But if he wasn't given a chance, how would they know?

"Thank you, brother."

He nodded and started to look over the books again.

Rukia bowed her head as she left the study. On her way out, she saw Cedric standing in the corner of the dining room, hidden in a shadow. He must have been listening. Rukia waited for him to say something but he didn't. After staring at her for another minute, he lowered his head in what looked to be a bow.

She didn't understand it at first, but she had guesses.

He lifted his head and looked at her with the same eyes he gave Ichigo. They weren't threatening. They were welcoming. Caring. Respectful.

Ichigo was the only one who saw good in Linnette when she did those things in the past. It was because of him that they all changed for the better. Rukia had fought to protect Linnette in the past and showed the same care Ichigo had for her. In spite of the past and its horrors, she believed. Linnette believed that Veneno could be saved in the same way she was. Ichigo believed the same. He wanted to try. And now Rukia.

Was this why he was bowing to her now? Was Cedric grateful?

It was hard to read Cedric because he spoke less than his brother and rarely told people what he was feeling or thinking. And yet, Rukia found that she could understand him better by just watching him. Sometimes you learn more by watching than you do by listening.

* * *

A Captain's meeting was held that afternoon in the Soul Society to discuss the recent events concerning Byakuya's group and what had been happening to the Soul Reapers. The meeting was short two Captains which didn't go unnoticed.

"Where is Captain Ukitake?"

Shunsui raised his hand to answer. "Uh… Jushiro's still not feeling too well. He told me to send his regards."

"Does he need me to stop by?" asked Captain Unohana.

"Nah, nah… He's doing ok, kinda sorta. He told me that he was just feeling really weak, is all. He didn't think he could make it to the meeting. Poor guy could barely sit up without help. And even then it looked like he was going to tip over."

"Tick-tock!" Mayuri said loudly, tapping his wrist with his long fingernails. "Can we speed this up? You called me away at a bad time."

"Quit complaining," muttered Soi Fon. "Your team can do fine without you around for a few minutes. It's another few minutes they can have with their limbs still attached to their bodies…"

"Shows how much you know. I was told not to conduct experiments on Squad members anymore, so there."

"Too many complants about their third arm running into things."

"Oh, one time! One time I did that."

"The point is you did it."

"Let it go, woman!"

"Shall we begin the meeting?" asked Yamamoto. The others quieted. "Now… Captain Byakuya has informed me that he and several of the members on his team have started to behave strangely. They all become obsessed with Ichigo Kurosaki and attempt to capture him at random. It's been brought to my attention that they are not the only ones to experience this. So far, two of our Captains have fallen victim to this as well. Captain Hitsugaya, would you care to explain and share with us your experience?"

Hitsugaya stepped forward. "To be honest, there isn't much to report. I know that I attacked another Soul Reaper to get to Ichigo. And I know that I drew my Zanpakuto. I remember using it. I remember attacking. However, the reason why I did it escapes me. I can't remember why I did it. I know I rampaged for a reason, but why? I cannot remember that important detail."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, sir. Nothing else to report. The vital information we need I don't have. That's all I know."

"So you remember doing it?"

"Yes."

"Did you feel as if someone were controlling you?"

"No, sir. My actions were my own. I moved as I pleased of my own free will. It was as if I were acting on orders. As if you or someone of higher rank told me to do it. As I said, I can't remember the reason for my attack. I'm sorry."

"I see." Yamamoto looked to Unohana next. "Did you find anything while he was in your care?"

She shook her head. "No. He's in perfect health. I ran several tests. Nothing came up."

"So someone told him to do it but he can't rememeber who?" asked a puzzled Shunsui.

"That's what it was like, but I'm not even sure if I was ordered to do it by anyone. It just feels like it was. I think it's on account that I can't remember," said Hitsugaya.

"Ahh…" Shunsui sighed. "Well, this is going to be a real pain to figure out. I can see that right now. Is that all we got?"

"Several other Soul Reapers reported feeling strange, but no one went on a rampage like the Captain."

"Yeah, this is weird…"

"Wasn't Captain Ukitake effected as well? How did we find that out? Did someone see him do it?" asked Captain Komamura.

"I heard about it from Renji," answered Shunsui. "He said that he had gone to visit him and see how he was doing. He told Renji that everything was normal, except for one thing. He said it was minor. But a little while before Renji showed up, Jushiro wanted to take a nap. But he couldn't do it. Said he was too restless. Then suddenly, all he could think about was Ichigo. He was obsessed with him to the point where he wanted to leave his bed to go look for him. He actually tried, too. He didn't get far. A minute later, the feeling was gone and he laid back down."

"So he tried to go after Ichigo?"

"Sort of. I'm not sure. I'm only hearing it from Renji. But Jushiro didn't think much of it. He thought it was his medication," said Shunsui. "But that was when Renji thought there might be something wrong with him since he had a similar feeling a while ago. He said it went away quickly."

"Was Ichigo around them at the time?" asked Soi Fon. "This might be his doing after all."

"I doubt it. He only saw Renji for a minute before he went to the World of the Living. He didn't visit Jushiro at all."

"No, but didn't he see him in his office before he was sent on that fake mission to the World of the Living? That could have done it. He also saw Captain Hitsugaya before he left as well. They're all connected. I think Ichigo might be doing this. It's got to be him. Just like our theory."

"You're reaching, Captain Soi Fon," said Shunsui. "Besides, there are other Soul Reapers who were effected and none of them had ever met Ichigo before. They only heard about him. Ichigo never made contact with any of them. So I doubt that theory still applies."

"Don't you think it's strange that it started in Karakura Town and every one of these people become obsessed with the guy?" Soi Fon snapped. "It has to be on account of Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"We don't know that. He's not acting out of the ordinary and he's completely in the dark about all of this."

"He could be playing innocent!"

"He's become our friend and ally. He even showed concern when Captain Hitsugaya was hospitalized. I seriously doubt this is his doing. Besides, how could he? He's never displayed powers like this before."

Soi Fon turned her head away in anger. "It all revolves around Ichigo. It's got to be him."

"There's no evidence of that," said Unohana. "We would have never known anything was amiss if Squad 12 hadn't caught it first. Wasn't it your lab that first discovered it, Captain Kurotsuchi?"

"They were only glitches on the screen," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "There's nothing to indicate that there's a serious problem."

"We removed Ichigo from Karakura Town thinking that it would help the situation. If he was the cause then his removal would rectify the problem," said Komamura. "It started to work at first, but the glitches are still showing up. This means that there's more to it than we thought. Even Ichigo himself showed up on your systems as well. Didn't he?"

Mayuri shrugged. "I don't see it as a problem."

"You said that those glitches were similar to Hollow patterns. Wouldn't that mean that people, including Ichigo, are Hollowfying?"

"Not necessarily. Those were just glitches. We thought there was a problem with the system itself. Everything seems to be fine otherwise. And glitches are glitches. Nothing is happening to those people or to Ichigo. It means nothing."

"It calls for further investigation," said Soi Fon. "We have to figure out what connects all these things together aside from Ichigo himself. What do they all have in common?"

"Since I couldn't find anything, maybe Captain Kurotsuchi can," said Unohana.

The Head Captain nodded. "That's not a bad idea. Captain Kurotsuchi, I would like for you to investigate what's been happening-"

Mayuri gave a loud, obnoxious groan. "Head Captain, with all due respect… I have enough on my plate as it is. My Research Team alone has gone without sleep for days just to keep up with all your demands. Everyone in my Division has worked without rest for a long time. Relentlessly! If it's not something you assigned, it's what other Squads are giving us to do. We're overworked enough as it is! We can't handle any more tasks! And if Unohana can't find anything wrong, what makes you think we can?"

"Physically they're fine," said the Captain of Sqaud 4. "This must be a mental issue."

"Then get them a shrink."

"What I mean is, there could be a toxin effecting their brains, making them do this. You're an expert on poisons. Surely you can come up with something. It could always be a poison I cannot detect."

"True, there are toxins like that that don't effect the body but the mind only… But you're giving me nothing to work with here. How do we know they're connected? I don't even have a timeline to go on."

"Well, when did you first detect the glitches in your system?" asked Shunsui.

"I don't know… Ten days ago, maybe?"

"We started to behave strangely shortly after that," said Hitsugaya. "No one reported it before those glitches showed up. It's within the ten day mark."

"So what? Nothing significant has happened in that time frame to even indicate that…" Mayuri stopped. Ten days ago, Soul Reapers, Karakura Town, Ichigo Kurosaki, Hollow glitches, laboratory… His yellow eyes grew wide, mind slowly putting things together. "Oh. Oh, crap." Mayuri started to inch his way towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Soi Fon.

"You want me to conduct a little research, don't you? If I'm going to do anything, it has to be now while everything is still fresh in my mind." He looked at Yamamoto. "If you'll excuse me…"

"The meeting isn't over yet."

"Well, feel free to continue, but I have to leave. I'll let you know what I come up with." Mayuri's feet kept moving as he spoke, getting closer and closer to the door. With a hard shove of his hand, he threw it open and stormed out into the hall. "Nemu! Nemu, come here now!"

His Lieutenant jumped down from the ceiling and landed by his side. "Yes, sir?"

"We're going to the lab. Move it!" Mayuri shoved people out of his way, sprinting down the hall with Nemu at his side. There wasn't a moment to waste.

* * *

With Veneno spending his free time in the dojo with members from Squad 11, Akon managed to find some time for himself for a change. He didn't want to leave Veneno alone in case something happened, but he seemed to be able to handle himself for the most part. And if he didn't find an outlet for all that energy and power he held in his body, he was going to remain restless. This way he could let it out and sleep through the night. Akon balanced the log book on his face and tilted his head back, trying to rest his eyes for a few moments. Mayuri had collected some of the data Akon had written down in its pages and copied them into his computer. Akon withheld the information regarding the dreams Veneno had been having constantly. He wasn't comfortable telling his Captain about them yet. He had actually grown to care about what happened to Veneno and didn't want him to be taken apart. Not unless they had no other choice in the matter.

The laboratory door swung open with a bang and Mayuri strode into the room with his Lieutenant at his side. "Akon! Come here!"

Judging by the Captain's tone, he was in some sort of trouble. Akon jumped off his chair and ran to Mayuri's side. "Yes, sir, Captain?"

"Where is that log book of yours? The one I asked you to keep on the Arrancar?"

"Uh…" Akon held it up. "Right here, sir."

Mayuri snatched it away. This was a little odd. He hadn't looked in the book for a few days now. Mayuri started to type things into his computer but it didn't look like he was copying the notes. He was opening documents and pulling up screens. He was doing three things at once. His hands flew over the keys, working at an incredible pace. Akon wanted to ask him what was going on, but thought better of it when he saw the look on Mayuri's face. He was trying to figure something out. He wasn't panicked, but he looked like he was desperately searching for answers to a question that had been plaguing him for some time.

The screen lit up with more information. Mayuri's hands stopped moving as he read. "Damn it!" Mayuri smashed his fist against the keypad.

Akon was dying to know what had him so upset. He no longer cared as long as he had an answer. "Captain, what's wrong?"

Mayuri tried to calm his anger. His head hung low as he tried to speak calmly to his 3rd Seat. "You're aware of the strange happenings in Karakura Town and some of the Soul Reapers here, aren't you? Captain Hitsugaya's rampage and whatnot."

"Yes, sir. How could I not?" There was no explanation for that attack.

"Well, we've been trying to find an answer to that." Mayuri's hold on the book increased. "Turns out it's my fault. It's my doing."

"… What?"

"I brought back that Arrancar, Veneno."

Akon blinked and moved closer. "But, sir… what does that have to do with anything?"

Mayuri rubbed his forehead with his right hand, letting out a sigh of frustration. "It'll take hours to accurately explain it to you, given this data. But I'll try to sum it up in ten minutes…" He gestured to the screen. "You're aware of what Veneno was like when he first emerged from his incubation tank, correct? How he didn't know anything and was like an infant? That's because he was rebooting, so to speak. Well, no… Even that's not the correct term…"

"You managed to save his mind and DNA, right? Are you saying that there's something going on with them?"

"No, no… Let's start over. Alright, now… You're aware that he infected all the Soul Reapers and turned them all into Hollow Reapers, correct? Well, I was informed from Ichigo that Veneno claimed that they could only be cured in the event of his death. Technically, he never died."

This was surprising news. "But, Captain Unohana said that they were cured. There was no trace of the virus or anything in their systems."

"She's not wrong. It's true that the virus is no longer present. The problem is that they are still connected to Veneno subconsciously. They may no longer be Hollow Reapers, but they are still connected. Though, neither party is aware of it. Which brings me to this." Mayuri pointed at the screen. "The Veneno we are aware of, the one who's with us at the moment, isn't the real Veneno."

"So… What are you saying? He's a clone or..?"

"No, of course not! How foolish… Basically his body is running on autopilot. There are two separate consciousness. The old Veneno and this one. You see this frequently with amnesia patients. He's relearning everything all over again. It's not that they lost their memory so much as it is that they cannot access them. They still possess them, but they're not aware of it is more of the thing."

Akon tried to wrap his head around the idea. He knew what Mayuri was talking about, but he was trying to see the Captain's logic. "So… this Veneno…"

Mayuri went on before he could finish. "The real Veneno with all the memories is still with us in that body. He's just laying dormant inside that body of his. Veneno isn't fully awake yet. So this one, the one we see everyday, is taking over in his stead. With me so far?"

Akon understood. "The real Veneno isn't awake yet. It's kind of like sleepwalking in a way…"

"Not really. But this Veneno isn't aware that there is a second self in his subconscious. But when he wakes up, he will be aware of everything this outer self has done in his place. At least, that's how it will be if my theory is correct."

"How do we know when he'll wake up?" Akon asked.

"Something has to trigger it, just like with any lost or forgotten memory." He opened to one of the pages in the book. "You said here that he suffered from headaches ranging in pain. And you also wrote down the time and location of each to the best of your ability. The most severe one was when he went into the lab, the same lab where he was 'created', right?"

"So you think that being around a familiar place where some sort of trauma occurred triggers flashes of memories to return?" That explained the headaches and the dreams. "Then why didn't he freak out when he saw you? You were the one who experimented on him in the first place."

"It might be because I was there when he first opened his eyes. He got used to me before he started to develop. Why do you think children bond to their parents or whoever is raising them at a young age? He got used to me because I was the first one he saw. And he trusts you because you've taken care of him all this time. Very simple."

That also made sense. But the matter at hand still wasn't explained. "Ok, but what does any of this have to do with the Soul Reapers going nuts around here?"

"It has to do with the subconscious. As I said… They are still linked. When I brought him back, it started a trigger in those he infected in the past. They're picking up on his subconscious desires. That's what they're reacting to." Mayuri put the book down, having no further use of it at the moment. "I heard that Veneno was extremely interested in Ichigo Kurosaki when he tried to take over. Wanted someone to rule by his side and so he wouldn't be alone. He saw something in Ichigo that made him want to pursue him. He desperately wanted Ichigo as a companion for some reason. I'm not sure of his reasoning. However, that desire is still strong in his subconscious. And that desire was passed to the former Hollow Reapers. They're reacting euphoniously to what he wants and feels in his mind. He wants Ichigo, so do they. Again, neither party realizes this."

"How can that be? If that's the case, then why isn't everyone like this?"

"It happens at random to random people. There's no control over it or reasoning. It just happens."

"And me? I was a Hollow Reaper, too, at one time. Why haven't I been effected?"

Mayuri already had an answer for that. He answered quickly. "It could be that you've spent so much time with Veneno that you've put up a resistance. Either that or this affect only occurs in certain people. Maybe some people are more susceptible to it than others. Luck of the draw again."

It was all connected. Ever since Veneno was brought back, people have started to behave strangely. They were all after Ichigo, the same way Veneno was in the past. Influenced by an emotion and not logic. Veneno, that Veneno, wasn't awake yet. He was still dormant, trapped within his own body while this one took over. The Veneno Akon knew now was a lie. He was just talking to someone who was half-asleep.

"But…" Mayuri continued. "Eventually, he will regain his memories and wake up fully. It's only a matter of time."

Now Akon was worried about history repeating itself. Veneno hated Soul Reapers. Anything could happen. "How long do we have?"

"How should I know? One good trigger is all that it takes. I can't say for sure. The mind is a tricky thing."

"Do you think there's the possibility of him… trying to take over the Soul Society again, Captain?"

He shrugged and started to close the screens and shut things down so no one else could walk in and see what they were looking at. "Hard to say. He might. But you never know. This Veneno is different but they are the same person. He may change his mind. There's no way of knowing. But when he does wake up, we better be prepared for anything that might happen."

* * *

Linnette brings up a good point, doesn't she?

Thoughts?

Please review! ^-^


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

The afternoon passed without incident. Despite everyone being so worried about this new information, things had become fairly relaxed the higher the sun rose in the pale blue sky. After lunch, Ichigo decided to take a nap on the couch. He spent most of his time sleeping. It was decided that he did this figuring that if he wasn't awake, nothing could happen. This wasn't true, but it helped Ichigo in a way. It was a way for him to escape. Byakuya agreed to keep things a secret from the other Captains. At least until something happened. If Ichigo's Hollow took over or if any of the others started to behave strangely again, Byakuya would tell. Ichigo was thankful that Byakuya had bought him some time, but he was worried that someone would suffer another episode, resulting in Byakuya unleashing the new information.

Ichigo opened his eyes. Before he could hear the sound of dishes being washed in the sink and everyone talking in the next room. Now, everything was quiet. He stretched out on the couch, rubbing his forehead with the back of his arm. He could hear muffled voices coming from outside. He wondered how long he had been asleep. Sitting up, he looked at the clock mounted above the television. It was roughly 4:00 in the afternoon. He had been asleep for about three hours.

He swung his legs sideways, planting is feet of the floor, but didn't get up. He couldn't remember any of his dreams. Maybe because he didn't have any. He had spent his time unconscious conversing with his Hollow in his inner world. Normally when they engaged, a fight ensued. But not when Linnette was involved. Now that she was near, his Hollow had become almost docile. He didn't have the will to grapple with Ichigo. Maybe it was out of fear that Linnette wouldn't like it. Now his Hollow reminded him of a loyal dog, constantly seeking approval and affection. When Linnette was near him, he felt a strange sensation. His emotions became more broad. He didn't even know he was capable of feeling more than two emotions.

This never changed. It was always the same. When Ichigo conversed with his Hollow, his Hollow was always the same. Same explanations, same emotions. What his Hollow mistook for love was most likely obsession. That was how Ichigo interpreted it. His Hollow was fiercely loyal to Linnette and would always seek to please her. He would do whatever she told him to do. He had less of an attitude when she was around, too. It was almost as if he were trying to impress her. It was a new way of showing off. That Ichigo didn't mind. At least his Hollow was under control to some extent. What bothered him was the fact that they kept switching places at random times. So far, they hadn't changed in the past several hours, but it was only a matter of time. Ichigo knew that if it happened again, Byakuya would report. He had to make sure it didn't happen again. But it was out of his hands. The changes happened randomly. There was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Ichigo stood up to see what the others were doing. He could hear them but he couldn't see them. He wandered into the kitchen and looked around. Everything was cleaned up from lunch. The sink was empty, dishes washed and put away. Ichigo stood in front of the sink and looked out the small window. The sunlight shined off the reflective nozzle, hitting him in the face. Ichigo placed his hand over it, blocking the sun. Once he stopped seeing spots, he peered outside.

They seemed to be playing a game in the back yard. Rangiku, Rukia and Hanataro were running with Linnette away from Cedric who was chasing them at a much slower speed than he was capable of. He couldn't see anyone else, but he knew there were more. He went into the dining room and looked out the sliding glass doors. Ikkaku and Yumichika were sitting on the wooden steps of the back porch, chatting and watching the others play. Byakuya was in a lounge chair, observing from afar. Victor stood beside him, holding a tray with a glass of iced tea. From Ichigo's perspective, Victor looked an awful lot like a butler. Apparently, Byakuya needed servants with him wherever he went.

The ones at play started tossing a Frisbee across the yard. Linnette only managed to catch it once in the dozen times it was thrown to her. Which was one more than Hanataro managed. Rukia managed to catch it the most next to Rangiku. When Cedric tossed the Lieutenant the Frisbee again, she reached out to grasp it. It hit the tips of her fingers and flipped over her head and onto the grass.

"I touched it, so it counts."

"No, it doesn't."

Victor looked down at Byakuya. "Care to join them?' he asked.

Byakuya took a few sips of iced tea before handing it back to Victor. "Here is fine." He went back to watching them play.

Ikkaku called out to Rangiku from where he sat. "You're pathetic!"

She huffed and waved the Frisbee in the air. "Oh, like you could do better?"

"Can so!" Ikkaku stood up from the steps and walked into the grass, holding up his hand. "Give it here."

"Ok." Rangiku tossed it to him. The rotating disk bounced off his open palm and fell to the ground.

Ikkaku quickly gathered it up and scoffed. "The sun was in my eyes. Do over!"

"Yeah right…"

"Do over! I'll show you how it's done." He tossed the disk at Cedric would caught it one-handed. "You! Toss it here." Ikkaku held up both hands, now joining the game without realizing it. Even though Yumichika could see Ikkaku engaged in play, he still didn't join, choosing to watch from the sidelines as before.

Ichigo smiled then walked away. He hadn't seen Veneno in days. He wondered how he was doing.

The others seemed to think that he was the one behind it but Ichigo refused to believe it. It just didn't sound right. Things didn't add up. There must have been some other explanation.

Ichigo looked at the book on the coffee table in the living room. It was the one he had Victor buy him at the store. He had every intention of giving it to Veneno. Now seemed like a good enough time to do it. He was rested enough to handle the different time zone and nothing seemed to be happening here. And if he wasn't around, and the others did happen to change, there was nothing for them to hunt. Ichigo wanted to see Veneno and straighten everything out. He knew there was more to this than they were seeing.

If he was going to the Soul Society, there was only one way to do it. He needed his Zanpakuto and the only way to get to it was to become a Soul Reaper. Ichigo left his body on the couch. He picked up the book and went out the front door, drawing his sword.

* * *

The Soul Society was lovely in the spring. Everywhere Ichigo stepped, he was walking on pink petals from the budding trees in every courtyard he passed. The white walls and pink petals dancing in the breeze made Ichigo feel as if he were walking in a dream. He enjoyed the tranquility of it. He took a deep breath in and out, savoring it. For a few minutes, he forgot all his worries and threats of the future and breathed easy.

"Hyah!"

CLACK!

Ichigo looked to his right. There was a dojo at the end of this street. He could see shadows passing by the open windows as the people inside brawled. Judging from the cries and the bloody towels on the railing outside the building, this must have been part of Squad 11. The hole in the wall was proof enough of that. Ichigo approached the building. Normally he would enter just to take on Ikkaku in a friendly duel, but he was here for another reason. Things seemed somewhat calmer with Ikkaku in the World of the Living. It was slightly less intense.

There was a vicious clang and the men inside the building all groaned loudly and laughed. Someone had suffered a major hit and went down. They all seemed pleased by it. A minute later, the door slid open and members of Squad 11 began to wander out into the yard. One of those men happened to be the one Ichigo was looking for. A couple of men had their arms around Veneno's shoulders, congratulating him on a job well done. One man ruffled his hair in the back and another slapped him on the back. They went over to the trough, splashing themselves in the face and soaking their necks in the cool water. One man dipped his rag into the water and rang it out over his head. A couple of men dragged another over to the trough and plunged his head into the water, holding him under. They pulled him out and everyone roared with laughter and patted each other on the back while the soaked man shook like a dog, trying to get the others wet.

Ichigo stepped forward, making his presence known. Veneno turned and welcomed Ichigo with a big smile and slapped him on the back, hard. "Dude, where've you been? What's up, man?" he greeted loudly.

"Just around."

Ichigo noticed that Veneno had changed since the last time he saw him a couple of days ago. He seemed a little more like his old self in a way. He had started calling Ichigo 'dude' like in the past. When Veneno wasn't obsessing over how horrid Soul Reapers were, he was a pretty pleasant person to be around and came across as pretty care-free. Now Veneno seemed more comfortable with himself and how things were going for him. He had grown used to how things worked around here and seemed at peace with his life. A few days ago, he was a little more unsure and sought approval. Now he had a sense of belonging and he had surrounded himself with people who couldn't care less about perfection. All the energy he had was being used, making himself and the others stronger. He had grown used to how things worked and had a sense of what he wanted. He also seemed to be influenced by the people of Squad 11; which, at this point, Ichigo wasn't sure was a good thing or not.

But it was nice to see Veneno at peace and happy.

Some of the men had taken off their shirts and others began to follow. "Come on, ladies, let's hit the bath."

"I'm all for that. Let's go."

"I'm soaked with sweat. Hey, is this blood? See! I told you he hit me too hard!"

"Get over it."

"You coming or what?"

Veneno had already started taking off his shirt, following their example. As soon as Ichigo caught a glimpse of the hole in his chest, he reached out and grabbed him, pulling his shirt back on. "Uh, actually… I wanted to see Veneno for a minute. It's important."

"Oh, cool. That's fine. See you later, Ven." The Soul Reaper threw his shirt over one shoulder and joined the others, walking away.

Veneno turned to Ichigo. "What's up?"

"Huh?"

"You stopped me from going. Said it was important."

"Oh, yeah." Ichigo moved to the side, giving Veneno room to walk. "I got you a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yeah. We can look at it when we get back to your room. How about that?"

"Cool, we can hang out." Veneno led Ichigo back to the 12th Division barracks and back to his room. Once the door was closed, Veneno removed his shirt without interruption and tossed it in a corner. He grabbed a clean one from the top drawer of his dresser and put it on. "Sorry, I'm pretty sweaty. Just went a few rounds with the guys."

"No problem. Have a good time?"

"Oh, it was awesome." He closed the drawer with his hip and bent down, opening another compartment on the dresser. "Nailed this guy right in the face. He was cool with it, but it made this awesome sound."

"Was that the racket I heard right before you guys came out?"

"Huh? Oh, no. That was someone else. He tried this roundhouse kick and failed so hard. Other guy whacked him good in the face and he went down. It was epic. You should've seen it." He pulled out a bag of chips Ichigo had given to him the last time he brought gifts. The bag was unopened. He tossed it to Ichigo. "How's this for a snack?"

"It's fine." Ichigo took the bag and swapped it for the book he had been hiding. "This is for you. I thought you might like it."

Veneno took the book from Ichigo and looked at the cover. It was written in English, but there were few words. The pictures were the main focus. Veneno opened the book and started flipping through the pages. As he did, his smile spread. "Thanks, man. This is awesome."

They sat on the floor, backs resting against the wall and shared a snack. Most of the time was spent in silence as Veneno looked over his new book. Every now and then he would make a comment about something he saw. His right hand would dip into the bag of chips between them every now and again. Sometimes their hands would go in at the same time and Ichigo would pull his out and wait until Veneno was finished and then continue.

Veneno pointed to one of the pictures with a potato chip. "Hn, this is nice, right here. The colors are pretty cool."

Ichigo looked at the photo of a savanna, a lion looking up from the tall grass. "You like that?"

"Yeah, it's cool." Veneno turned the page to an underwater photograph. It was a school of fish swimming closely together just above the sandy bottom. The next page held a similar sight, only with dolphins peering closely into the camera. "This is cool, too. I like the blue." Veneno put another chip into his mouth. "Looks like it would be fun. I never swam before. I have no idea if I know how."

"Yeah. I have no idea if there are any pools in the Soul Society. We have one at the school. It's open in the summer for swimming lessons. Most of the time, we just go to the beach."

Veneno turned to him. "You've been to a beach before? Did you swim with these things?" Veneno pointed to the dolphins in the photograph.

"Nah. Never swam with dolphins before. My sisters would love that."

"Don't you want to?" he asked.

"It would be cool. It's not pressing for me. I could put it on my to-do-before-I-die list. But it's fine."

"You have a list?"

Ichigo chuckled. "Not a real one, no. I never made a list like that before."

Veneno looked at the photo and then back at Ichigo. "But you know how to swim?"

"Yeah, I know how."

He cast his eyes down. "I have no idea if I can or not. There are a lot of things about myself I still don't know."

Ichigo could hear the sadness in his voice. This was still Veneno, but it wasn't at the same time. It was like talking to different versions of the same person, unaware that there was another. Veneno still couldn't remember anything from his past. From the look of things, he still hadn't come to terms with that. He was aware that he was missing something but was unsure what to do about it.

"It bothers you, doesn't it?"

Veneno shrugged. "I asked Akon about it and he told me that if I'm not meant to remember, then I won't. He said there's no point in stressing out about it." He took another chip from the bag and balanced it on his tongue before eating it.

"How is Akon doing by the way?"

"He's fine." Veneno swallowed. "He's been working in the lab a lot more than I have recently. I don't mind working, but I like sparring with the guys, too."

"Blowing off some steam, right?"

"I guess so. Helps me sleep at night. And I feel great doing it."

"Was that hole in the side your doing?"

"No, that was someone else. Akon told me to be careful, so I am." Veneno ate another chip.

Ichigo fished around in the half empty bag and took out a couple. "So he's not shadowing you like he was before? You ok with that?"

"It's cool. I don't mind too much." Veneno paused, chip between his fingers. "It's mostly work with him and helping out. They're overworked at the lab, so I understand. Plus he's a 3rd Seat. But…" He turned to Ichigo with a smile. "I like hanging out with you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You're a great friend. My best friend. And I'm happy about that."

Just like before, Ichigo's heartbeat grew fast and his chest was heating up. He had mixed feelings. On the one hand, he liked the idea of Veneno thinking of him as his best friend and wanted Veneno to have that experience. On the other hand, what if Veneno regained one of his old memories and they were negative ones of the two of them. How would Veneno react? He didn't want to mess this up. He was trying very hard to give Veneno a good life and didn't want to see it ruined.

"What about Akon? I would think that he'd be your best friend since you're always together and he helps you out."

Veneno shrugged. "I like him and all, but it's different. With him… I don't know. At first I kind of thought of him as like a nanny or something. He's more of a mentor, I guess. An aid to me. He showed me how things work and helps me out. He showed me the ropes, but… I just feel more connected with you for some reason. I can hang out with you better than I can Akon. I'm not sure how to put it." He shrugged again. "You're just more of a friend to me. I like hanging out with you. I can't explain it."

He didn't have to. Somehow Ichigo knew. It was one of those things that couldn't be explained with words.

Veneno went back to the book. After flipping pages, he stopped at one and studied it for a while. Then he pointed. "This is cool. I like this one a lot." He showed Ichigo a photo of a desert landscape.

"You like deserts?"

"Yeah. I think it looks cool." Veneno looked at the picture for another minute, then turned the page. Then he looked at Ichigo. "So, you said that your school has a pool. What's your school like? Is it big?"

"Uh… yeah, it's pretty big."

"Big as this place?" Veneno was talking about the buildings clustered together which made of the different Divisions.

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't think it's that big. But big enough. Some buildings are separated and are connected by catwalks or you just have to walk to them. Our gym's like that. So's the track and field. It's separate from the school part."

Veneno had closed the book and was listening to Ichigo. Veneno playfully tapped Ichigo's outstretched leg with his right foot. Ichigo tapped him back. Veneno grinned. Ichigo grinned back. Sitting side by side, the two enjoyed each other's company and said nothing for a few minutes.

Then Veneno tapped Ichigo's leg again with his foot. "Do you have friends at your school?"

"Yeah, I have a few."

"What are they like?"

Ichigo started telling him about some of his friends. He told Veneno about the girl who always beat him in karate class when they were kids. He told him about the other girl who was sweet, weird and had a strange sense of taste. About the tall tanned boy in his class who rarely spoke and about the Qunicy who claimed to not like them while helping them and hanging out with them at the same time. He told him about the boy who was very polite and was never without his phone, and about the hyper weirdo who made a show of everything he did. Veneno listened. He was very interested when Ichigo started to tell him stories about them.

"So he couldn't jump over the bar in the gym class? He just kept running into it?"

"Yeah. He says he tripped, but…" Ichigo started laughing, remembering the sight of Keigo running into the bar he was meant to jump over. "It came back and hit him in the face. You should have seen it."

Veneno was laughing, picturing it in his mind. "Does he do that all the time?"

"Yeah. One time, he wanted me to hang out with him over summer break. He blindfolded me and told me that I had to practice for whack the watermelon. I hit him in the head instead with the stick he gave to me."

Veneno laughed. "I bet he was real happy about that."

"He didn't complain too much. He knows I can take him. It was his own fault for blindfolding me and spinning me around like that. I didn't want to and I wasn't ready."

Veneno held up the bag of chips, offering it to Ichigo. He took a chip.

Suddenly, Veneno asked him an odd question he wasn't prepared for.

"Do you like them?"

Chip on his tongue, Ichigo turned his head. "Huh?"

"Your friends. Do you like them?"

It seemed obvious. Of course he did. "Well... yeah. I do. I like them. That's why we're friends."

"They make you happy?" The way Veneno asked this made it hard for Ichigo to tell if it was a question or a statement. What also made Ichigo hesitate was Veneno's innocent demeanor. He looked like a nervous child, clutching the bag in both hands, his green eyes downcast.

"They make me happy, yes. Sure they bug me sometimes but that doesn't matter. Even with people you like, they get on your nerves after a while but you still like them."

Veneno smiled, still looking down. "Then I must have a lot of friends..." He looked up at Ichigo with big green eyes. "There are a lot of people I like."

"That's good. It's good to have friends." Ichigo honestly didn't know what else to say. Everything was still foreign to him, even things that seemed so obvious to most people. Now that he had said it, Ichigo started thinking about his own life and the people in it. He had plenty of friends but he had never given much thought to how they were his friends. Friendship seemed so simple, so much to the point that no one ever bothered to examine it the way he did. Veneno was just discovering friendship and wanted to know more about it. He didn't seem to know why he liked the people he called 'friends' only that he did. Now Ichigo realized that he was in a similar position.

"Ichigo..."

"Huh?"

Veneno gestured to his hand with his eyes. Ichigo looked down and realized that the chip, wet from his tongue, had broken and fallen into his lap.

"I'm spacing out like Orihime..." he muttered while tossing the broken pieces into his mouth.

"One of your friends, right?"

"Yeah. She's the one who likes eating strange things... like peanut butter and pickle sandwiches topped with tomato. Or like cereal and peanut butter on a bagel with lo mien noodles."

"That sounds good, actually."

Ichigo did a double-take. "Seriously?"

"I'm sitting here eating shrimp flavored potato chips with you and you question my tastes?" Veneno rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Good dinner, Ichigo. Or snack or whatever this is."

"Hey, it's not like I'm cooking you anything. I don't mind buying you dinner."

Veneno started laughing loudly.

"What's so funny?"

"You! Do you realize how that sounded?" Veneno laughed. "You may as well say you're buying me a drink!"

Ichigo didn't catch on until he had mentioned buying a drink. He groaned, banging the back of his head against the wall behind him. "Shut up. Not like that and you know it." He didn't find it very amusing at all, but Veneno was still laughing about it.

"You should see your face!" Veneno said, laughing. He was laughing so hard, he was starting to snort. The sound of Veneno snorting with laughter threw Ichigo into a giggle fit. Soon he was laughing just as hard as Veneno. When they started to calm down, Ichigo snorted as well and they fell over laughing again. They laughed until their sides hurt. As Ichigo fought to catch his breath, calming down again, he tried to remember a time when he had laughed so hard. Nothing came to mind. The reason for their laughter was so ridiculous, Ichigo couldn't believe he was in stitches over it. Veneno's laughter must have been contagious or something.

Calmer now, Veneno raised the bag to his mouth and gobbled up the last bit of crumbs. He crumpled it into a ball and tossed it against the wall by the door. Then he leaned back, nudging Ichigo's shoulder with his elbow. They didn't speak using words, but they held a whole conversation with their eyes alone. The staring lasted only a few seconds but it continued in silence when they turned away, staring at the opposite wall.

This was much better, Ichigo decided. Veneno was happy here. He was living a good life and had many friends. There were people here who liked him and enjoyed his company. Sure, there were a few issues such as keeping his mask fragment and Hollow hole hidden. Other than that, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

* * *

Knowing he would have to return to the lab at some point to help out, Veneno cut their 'hang out' time short so he could get back to work. He didn't want to, but he knew it was better than having someone come after him to do it. Ichigo followed Veneno to the lab. They chatted for most of the way there. Veneno would stop to wave at passersby along the way. Everyone he passed seemed friendly and happily waved back, making Ichigo wonder if they were already familiar with each other. He also noticed that Veneno would start to turn a slight pink color when waving to the women they passed.

Ichigo nudged him in the rib. "Has Akon spoken to you about the birds and the bees yet?"

"Say what?" That was a possible 'no'.

"Those women. You were blushing."

"I was?" Veneno felt his cheek with his hand. "I didn't realize... Is that bad?"

Once again, Ichigo found himself in an awkward situation. He never had to talk about 'male urges', for lack of a better term, to another man before. He was beginning to see what Akon had to go through with Veneno. He was really no different from a child, completely ignorant to the world and everything in it. Girls must have never come up in any of their lessons. Ichigo wasn't sure how to handle this.

Veneno looked at the ground, still blushing. "Do you think they noticed?"

"Uh..." _Change the subject, change the subject_. "Um... Those women seem nice." _Idiot! Why did I say that?!_

Veneno started to play with a strand of his brown hair. "Y- yeah. They are... Some of these woman are very pretty and... I'm just not sure... Um, is it normal to get clumsy in front of pretty women like that?"

Ichigo patted his shoulder with a gloomy sigh. "Trust me... it's normal, but there's no getting used to it. Doesn't Akon talk to you about that stuff?"

He shrugged. "I only brought it up once... He just said 'look but don't touch' and that's it."

Ichigo started to laugh despite himself.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing. Just wise info. Come on."

They continued their walk to the lab. It had cooled off a bit from earlier. The sun was hidden behind a thick patch of gray clouds, threatening to open up and rain in the evening. As they walked, the two noticed that there were very few people out now. They also noticed something odd laying in the middle of the street. It looked like a piece of shingle from a roof. Ichigo looked around. He couldn't see where it had come from.

"There's more here." Veneno pointed to a few other pieces of broken roof. "And there. It looks like something just scraped the side of this wall."

Ichigo felt very uneasy. Something wasn't right. Even if it was people roughhousing, seeing these broken pieces made Ichigo question the source. Could this have been from a struggle? No, there was no commotion. Some sort of accident?

Ichigo tugged on Veneno's arm. "Let's keep moving. We can ask the people at the lab if they know what's up. It is close by so they must have seen something."

Their pace had quickened, trying to get to the building as quickly as possible. There was a shortcut ahead so they decided to take that route. As soon as they turned into the next street, they noticed a large mass trying to climb over the next wall. Ichigo and Veneno stared at the large blob, trying to figure out what it was. Looking at its back, all they could see was a gelatinous form the color of marrow. The body kept solidifying and then shift back into its blob-like form, as if its body was not complete and therefore not ready to take on a particular form. Its arms and legs were trapped under the gelatinous body, oozing out like puss as it tried to scale the wall.

"What is that thing?" Veneno asked softly. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Not even in the lab?"

He shook his head. "Everything's in jars or off limits. Even so, I've never..."

The creature turned its entire body towards them. Now they could see its face. Or so they thought. Its face was hidden beneath a large white mask which was located just above a dark hole in its neck.

As soon as Veneno caught sight of the mask, he felt an odd pain in the side of his skull. He had gone so long without a headache; he wondered why it had returned.

Ichigo pulled on his shoulders, trying to get him away from the creature. "Hollow!" he screamed.

"Hol- ow!" Veneno grabbed his head. Hearing that word made his headache grow worse.

The creature now identified as a Hollow roared, lifting its body up to tower over them.

Instinctively, Ichigo reached for his sword then stopped. There was something different about this Hollow. Even standing in its presents, he couldn't feel anything from it. No energy whatsoever. Not only that, but he had Veneno with him. In his current state, Veneno was unable to enter a battle against a Hollow. Even if he had some skill with a blade, he had no weapon, making him utterly defenseless. He had to get Veneno out of here first and attack the Hollow on his own time.

He pulled on Veneno's shoulders. "Run! Come on!"

With Ichigo's pulling, Veneno started running back the way they came. The Hollow advanced, oozing after them with all the speed it had. It was surprisingly fast.

Veneno had never seen a Hollow before. He didn't even know what they were called until now. Somehow hearing that name brought him an unbelievable amount of pain. This headache was getting worse.

Ichigo looked back and saw the Hollow gaining on them. They couldn't outrun it. Ichigo shoved Veneno to one side and pulled out his sword. "Stay back." He leapt staright at the Hollow and swung. The sword made direct contact with the sludgy body but didn't cut. Instead, the sword started to get swallowed up in the ooze. "Hell!" Ichigo pulled, trying to save his sword before he was completely devoured. He managed to free it just in time, narrowly missing the Hollow's arm swinging at him from the side. He hit the ground and started running again. "We've got to run!" He couldn't fight it now. Even when he attacked, the Hollow never stopped moving closer toward Veneno. They had to outrun it. He had to protect Veneno first and worry about fighting later.

Veneno saw Ichigo run past him in a dark blur. For some reason, it was getting harder to run a straight line. The headache was much worse. The pain pounded against his skull like a caged animal desperate for freedom. His head was going to split if this kept up.

He looked back and saw the Hollow open its mouth, unleashing something red from its teeth. It looked like a red laser. It shot straight out like a cannon, blasting a hole in the wall over Ichigo's head.

That red light... looked familiar. Very familiar. That mask... also familiar. The hole in its neck looked at lot like the one on his chest.

His head throbbed again. He started to see shapes. The ground beneath his feet wasn't flat or solid anymore. It was difficult to keep his footing. Holding his head with both hands, he tried to keep up with Ichigo but the flat street ahead had become a tall mountain of wavy lines. This headache was making him extremely dizzy and confused. Following close behind, the Hollow's massive size made the ground behind him shake. Its roars made his headache that much worse. He felt as if he were going to vomit. Another ball of light soared past his head and hit the wall, obliterating it.

Ichigo's image was getting further away. A piece of wall flew at Ichigo but he managed to dodge it in time. The tiny stones from the collapsed wall were a hassle to maneuver around. Ichigo nearly tripped a few times but was quick and light on his feet, running far away from the massive creature. Veneno was not so swift or alert in his condition. A large piece of wall tripped him up, making him stagger. He called out for his friend to help him.

"Ichigo!"

His head throbbed more. He couldn't remember ever using that tone of voice before. His bellow triggered even more pain to enter his skull and push hard from the inside. Why wouldn't the pain stop?

That last bout of pain was enough to make everything topsy-turvy. Losing his footing, Veneno fell to the ground right in the path of the oncoming Hollow.

Ichigo turned just in time to see Veneno collapse. The next street was up ahead and so was the safety of the windowless lap. Veneno was further away. It would take more time to reach him than it would to get to safety. The Hollow was getting closer by the second.

Ichigo ran back and bent down in front of the fallen Veneno. "Get up! Hurry!" He pulled on Veneno's arms. He managed to lift him up slightly. His body was very limp. Veneno's eyes kept rolling in their sockets. Barely concious, Veneno had no way to defend himself or to run. With no other choice, Ichigo lifted Veneno over his shoulder and started running just as the Hollow oozed over the broken wall fragments.

Running with Veneno over his shoulder made everything more difficult but he couldn't leave him behind. Jumping from roof to roof was a challenge and Veneno kept slipping with every quick movement.

"Hang in there, Veneno! I gotcha!"

Veneno started to lift his head with what little strength he had. "It's still coming..."

Ichigo quickly changed direction and landed in another street further away. That blob-like Hollow seemed to have difficulty turning corners so by zigzagging Ichigo hoped to gain some extra time and distance. Alone, Ichigo set Veneno on the ground. "Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Veneno clasped his head in both hands moaning loudly. "My head is killing me..!"

"Did the Hollow hit you?"

He shook his head, wincing. "N- no..." He let out a small cry, the pain increasing. "It hurts so much! It won't stop!"

Ichigo looked around. There was no one around for what seemed like miles. Veneno couldn't fight back or run in his condition. His first attack nearly got his sword swallowed up. He couldn't let this Hollow continue its rampage. He had to do something to protect Veneno and everyone.

The wall behind him shattered as a red light hit it from the far end of the street. The Hollow had caught up to them. Ichigo leaned over Veneno's body to shield him from the rubble. Veneno's pained moans continued. He knew there was nothing else he could do.

"Hang on, Veneno," Ichigo told him, still leaning over his body. "Hang on!"

Veneno's eyes snapped open, staring at Ichigo. The image of Ichigo kneeling over him was vary familiar to him. And those words were also familiar. He could swear he heard them before. A strange image flashed into his mind at that moment. He saw Ichigo kneeling over him holding his stomach. He could actually feel Ichigo's hands on his body. There was blood. A lot of blood. Ichigo looked frantic. He was covered in blood and sweat. There was a pain, not in his head but in his gut where Ichigo's hands lay pressed. 'Hang on! Hang on!' he was screaming. He was screaming his name trying to stop the flow of blood.

That image blended with this one, making it nearly impossible to tell what was reality. He saw Ichigo stand up and walk away from him. Veneno rolled onto his stomach and then to his knees, sitting up. Ignoring the pain, he watching Ichigo wondering what those visions were about.

The Hollow was closing in fast, roaring, its pussy flesh quivering.

Ichigo raised his sword, standing between him and the Hollow. "Hang on, Veneno!" Then gripping the handle with both hands he called out in a loud voice, "Bankai!"

A wave of energy hit Veneno like a gust of wind blowing his hair back and uncovering his mask fragment. When the wind settled, he saw Ichigo standing before him in a new form. His outfit had changed and so did his sword. A black sword with a dark chain.

A dark sword with a chain... and blood... clashing...

Another wave of pain hit Veneno's skull. He couldn't understand.

Ichigo took his stance between him and the enemy. He pulled his sword back, ready to swing. "Getsuga Tensho!"

Veneno's jaw dropped.

The dark wave sliced into the Hollow like an extension of the blade. Its large body opened wide and Ichigo swung again, the second attack finishing it off.

Veneno's pupils flickered, taking in the image. All of them. Every image played out before his wide open eyes like a film in fast motion. Clips from his dreams. His imagination. No. Memories.

He knew he had seen this form before Ichigo stood in. Hollow. He knew that name. And the lab. He knew that as well, but in a different light. He wasn't the one with the tray. He was the one under glass. Being studied and tortured. These people in dark clothing. These Soul Reapers...

He looked down at his clothing. This wasn't his. These clothes were the garments of a Soul Reaper. He wasn't a Soul Reaper. Then what was he? Staring at his outfit, he watched it fluctuate from black to white. White clothes... and a cape attached to his sleeve. The hole in his chest... just like the Hollow's. This thing on his forehead under his bangs... this mask fragment. That red light the Hollow shot out. Those yellow eyes and roars. Those snarling people reaching out grabbing air. These buildings surrounding him like cage bars. These streets. These people. These places. The quiet. The blood. The nothing.

Voices... '_What a marvelous experiment_'.

'_You're not master_'.

'_Veneno! Hang on! I'm sorry'_.

And that sword. That long sleek blade coated in black. Those rattling chains. The pain in his gut.

Veneno hunched over feeling its sting. That black sword was sticking out of his stomach. Ichigo was there. He was on the other end of that sword. There was blood. His white clothes were painted the color of cherry syrup. Ichigo's voice above him, talking. Pulling out the sword. Holding the wound shut. He killed him.

He killed him.

Ichigo lowered his sword letting out a satisfied breath. Once he went Bankai, the Hollow didn't stand much of a chance. He thought it would be more of a challenge. Still, that Hollow was different from others he had come across. Curiosity pushed aside, Ichigo returned to Veneno's side. He knelt down in front of him. "It's all good. I got rid of it."

Veneno didn't say a word. His eyes had dropped to the ground.

"Veneno?"

His shoulders were shaking as if he were extremely cold.

"Are you alright? How's your head?" Ichigo reached forward with his free hand. "Venen-"

Veneno reached out and grabbed Ichigo's outstretched hand, crushing it in a death grip. Ichigo's bones started to crack from the pressure.

"I remember..." Veneno seethed. He lifted his head, showing Ichigo's his green eyes, ablaze with fury unlike anything he had ever seen. "I remember everything!" His voice rose to a roar.

Ichigo pulled his hand free, staggering back. He watched Veneno rise to one knee and reach for something to his left side.

"Ichigo!" He pulled out his sword, magically produced from nowhere. Rising to his feet, he bellowed with all the rage and pain only a tortured soul writhing in hell itself could possess. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

* * *

Well, that went well.

What's going to happen now?

Please review! ^-^


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

The wall crumbled before Ichigo could land properly. Losing his balance, he quickly turned his body to the side to take the blow on his shoulder as he hit the ground. He quickly rolled out of the way as Veneno's sword came down, aimed at his head. He kept rolling until he reached the next wall then jumped up as fast as he could and started running.

He had no reason to fight Veneno. He didn't want to. One minute ago, he held the brunette in his arms, protecting him from the Hollow. Now he was running for his life as Veneno came chasing after him. Veneno had no real reason to kill him. This attack was out of rage and confusion. It was unprovoked. If Ichigo fought back, the situation would only escalate. His best bet was to tire Veneno out then try to speak to him. Maybe they could talk this out.

The next wall shattered and Veneno came out swinging. Ichigo couldn't dodge this one. He turned around, blocking with his sword. "Wait a minute! Stop it, Veneno!"

Veneno screamed back. Not with words but emotion. His eyes held such sorrow and rage it sent a chill down Ichigo's spine.

Was all this for nothing? All the time they spent together, all their shared laughter, their conversations... All pointless? Ichigo thought for sure he could sway Veneno's mind and change him for the better the same way he did Linnette. She was miserable and in pain, too. Spending years alone, wanting friendship though no one would look her way and if anyone ever did their eyes were filled with disgust. Finally out of desperation, she made her own friends. She made it impossible to be alone. She wanted to be happy. She just went about it the wrong way. After being showed a different way, she chose to change for the better, finding that she could be happy with this new way of life. Veneno and Linnette were very similar. It was painful being able to save one and not the other, letting one die thinking he was alone and unloved. Ichigo fought so hard to help him.

But Veneno wouldn't even help himself. Here he was, falling back into that old way of life.

Ichigo couldn't let that happen. Not again. He had to help him and not just for everyone's sake but for Veneno's.

Besides, even looking into the eyes of this man bent on murdering him in the most brutal way imaginable, he could still see the wide innocent eyes of a man unsure and lonely seeking friendship. The time they spent together wasn't lost. It wasn't for nothing. It helped show Ichigo that Veneno wasn't a lost case. He did have good in him, just like Linnette. It was a series of unfortunate circumstances that changed him into what everyone referred to as an evil maniac. Linnette wasn't evil and neither was Veneno. Spending time together proved that.

No matter what, Ichigo would not use this sword against him again. He would not take Veneno's life. He swore on his soul.

Ichigo blocked again, the force of Veneno's blade sending him sliding through the air. Veneno was not going to give up until Ichigo was dead. Him and every last Soul Reaper.

"Veneno, stop it!" Ichigo shouted.

He kept pushing. Veneno wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted.

"Stop, Veneno! Don't do this!"

"Shut up!" He pulled away and swung again. And again. Ichigo blocked every blow. He wasn't swinging back. "Fight back! Fight back, you coward!"

Ichigo didn't answer him which only fueled his rage. Veneno kept swinging and Ichigo kept blocking. Screaming, Veneno swung again and again, no longer showing skill. He was swinging blindly now, hoping to cut Ichigo with a lucky strike.

This confirmed what Ichigo thought he sensed in Veneno from the start of their one-sided battle. Every time Veneno's blade clashed with his, Ichigo could sense the pain he was holding inside. Sorrow and anger. Hopelessness, confusion. There was so much pain Ichigo couldn't begin to sort it all out. There was so much. All he knew for certain was that Veneno was still suffering.

Was he trying to get revenge for Ichigo killing him? Did he feel betrayed? Was that why he wanted to fight him so much? Ichigo didn't know. Maybe he didn't want to know. Maybe it wasn't needed. Right now he just needed to get through to Veneno. But how? Such a thing would be impossible with him swinging at him like a madman. Blinded by rage, there was no way Veneno would listen to anything Ichigo had to say.

But it was worth a try. He had to do something or else history would repeat itself. Not only that, but it could end up much worse than the first time. Someone was bound to die.

They landed in the middle of a courtyard, facing each other. Veneno snarled through his teeth, still seething. Ichigo remained calm, which only seemed to make Veneno even angrier. Veneno leaned in and bolted forward, his sword pointed at Ichigo. It was easily knocked aside.

"There's no reason for you to fight me," Ichigo told him. "I didn't threaten you. You don't have to do this."

"You're a Soul Reaper, aren't you?" Veneno pulled his sword back and swung again. "You killed me before! What's stopping you now?"

"I didn't mean to. You gave me little choice. You don't know how sorry I was. I don't want to hurt you."

"Liar!" Veneno swung his sword like a bat, aiming at Ichigo's head. He ducked every swing. "You're just like every Soul Reaper out there! You're cruel! You take pleasure in watching me suffer! You live to kill Hollows! You're so sick and twisted, you'll even kill us from the inside out! Attacking my heart and then my body!"

Veneno had actually grown to care about others and found a connection. When he had first met Ichigo, he thought he had found his first real friend. Someone he could spend time with and call his brother. He thought they could share everything together and be happy. He wouldn't have to be alone. Not as long as Ichigo was there. But he was wrong. Ichigo had still attacked him and killed him. All for the Soul Reapers' sake.

"I wasn't trying to toy with your emotions!" Ichigo hadn't intended that in the slightest. There were many of things he hadn't meant to happen. "I really do care about you!"

"Liar! Liar!" Veneno screamed and tried to stab Ichigo anywhere his blade could pierce. "You're just as cruel as the rest of them! All of them! You call us the demons? Soul Reapers are worse!" He swung again and this time Ichigo blocked. "Soul Reapers are so cruel. Once wasn't enough. You had to bring me back only so you could torment me some more."

"That's not the case," Ichigo reasoned. "I'm sure that was not their reasoning. You were brought back for a purpose and it was not to torture you."

"The hell it wasn't! Why else would they bring me back if not to torture me some more?! You already killed me once! Now you get to do it again! My life is just a sick game to you! It wasn't enough the first time! You just had to bring me back so you could do it all over again!"

"You weren't brought back to be tortured! Your life has a deeper purpose than that. I don't want to see you killed again. I don't want you to suffer."

"Like hell you don't!" The tip of Veneno's sword cut into Ichigo's sleeve, just missing the skin. "Bringing me back, acting like you care... making me think I had a friend..."

"I do care about you! I am your friend, Veneno."

"Don't call me that!" Veneno screamed and cut Ichigo diagonally. A piece of Ichigo's dark garment fell to the ground like a dead leaf. Veneno bellowed again, dashing forward. Ichigo backed up to avoid another strike. "You're a liar! You're toying with me again! You're cruel! Making me think I had friends when all this time..!"

"You do have friends! It's not a sick joke and it's not a prank. It's real. I do care. I'm not just saying that. Why else would I keep coming back here to give you things and spend time with you?"

Veneno scoffed, holding his sword out in front of him with both hands. "Because you're afraid of me. That's why. All those gifts... they were just bribes to appease a monster. Offerings so I would behave myself. You're afraid of me."

"Not true. I got you those things so you could enjoy them. I took the time to get to know what you like and shared them with you. It wasn't out of fear. It was out of friendship. I'd do the same thing for anybody else."

And he had. He had gone out of his way to do things for people to see to their happiness. Whether it was consoling a crying ghost child or retrieving a friend's treasured object, Ichigo helped them to the best of his ability. Veneno was no different.

"Come on. Can you honestly say you didn't enjoy doing that stuff with me? We just shared a snack a few minutes ago. Didn't that make you happy?"

They had laughed together. They ate together. They talked. The time they spent together was hands down the best time Veneno ever had. It did make him happy. He didn't feel that crushing loneliness that was always weighing him down. He actually felt light, as if he could fly. The feeling of freedom and contentment.

But it was all a lie.

"Not true! None of it! It's just some other Soul Reaper trick! You don't really know me at all! It was just wasted time!"

"Oh?" Ichigo counted off on his fingers. "Then how else would I know that you like to eat sweet things like cake? And that you hate raw green vegetables? Or that you like breezy days so you can face the wind and feel it on your face because you say it feels good? I also know that you like looking at picture books and you like deserts because you think they look cool. You get clumsy and blush around pretty women, too."

"Th- that's... that's not..."

"Your favorite color is blue and you like showing off your strength. You're not afraid to get hurt. You're fast and flexible. You feel insecure and you want people to like you. You don't want to do things alone. You've always wanted to know what it's like to hold someone's hand. You want to know what it's like to get a hug and what that feels like. You've always wanted to take a nap out in the open without fear. You need to keep busy because you get bored easily and you've got a lot of energy to burn. You also like to eat noddles and sandwiches with tomato."

Veneno shook his head from side to side, making his hair wave. "That wasn't me! Not the real me! The one you were with and spent all that time with was a fake! That's not me! That was him! It was all him! The one you knew and became friends with was a lie! A fake!"

"Was he fake? Or was he you without hatred?" Ichigo knew he wasn't wrong. He knew he had spent time with Veneno and not some fake. It was really him, or rather the him that hadn't been hurt yet by the Soul Reapers. There was really no difference between the two Venenos except for the fact that one of them had felt real pain and suffered everyday. "I know you better than you think. That was you. Not some fake. So there's no way the time we spent together was fake either."

"But it wasn't me! Not the real me."

"Only in the sense that you had lost your memory."

"Exactly!" Veneno cried out. "What makes you who you are is your memory! Because I didn't remember what Soul Reapers had done to me, I didn't know what was what. So the one you were hanging out with was a fake. Just some husk you could implant things into."

"No. It was you free from hatred and pain. That is what you could have been if you had never gone through the pain you went through. Don't you see? Friendship with Soul Reapers isn't impossible. The other you managed just fine because there was nothing holding you back. You were free to trust."

"Only because I had no other choice. Since I didn't know what's what, I had to relay on others to help me out. I had no say. And that wasn't fair! If I had known anything, I would have never associated with Soul Reapers."

"They weren't your enemy because they hadn't done anything to you yet. Just because they're Soul Reapers doesn't mean they're automatically evil. Don't you see? Without your bad history with them, you were able to judge them more freely. You didn't have a pre-existing relationship with them or whatever you want to call it. You didn't have any bad experiences with Soul Reapers so you were able to see them in a different light."

"Soul Reapers are Soul Reapers! No matter what I will always be an enemy of them."

"Only if you make it so! Since you hadn't done anything to them, they didn't see you as an enemy."

"Only because they thought I was a Soul Reaper. If they knew..."

"You gave them a reason to go after you before. You attacked them so they reacted the way they did. If you don't do anything like that, they won't have a reason to hurt you."

"I'm a Hollow, Ichigo! And Soul Reapers kill Hollows! There's nothing you can do about that. That's simply how the world works. We will always be enemies. There's no way for us to get along."

Ichigo shook his head. "I told you before that I was friends with an Arrancar. Remember? I've made friends with Hollows. It's possible." Ichigo lowered his sword seeing how Veneno had stopped swinging. "Besides... you've become friends with a few Soul Reapers yourself."

"I have not!" Veneno snapped. "I can never become friends with Soul Reapers! Impossible!"

"Oh, yeah? What about Akon? Don't you like him? Isn't he your friend?"

Veneno flinched. Then he answered, "He was never my friend to begin with! I was just an experiment to him! Right from the start! He was only looking after me and taking care of me because he was ordered to. He had to keep watch over his experiment. That's all it was. He never really cared. He only cares because his Captain would kill him if anything happened to me."

"Is that why he went out of his way to make you more comfortable? He got you a room of your own."

"Because you told him to!"

"He also gave you food and let you do the things you wanted and took care of you. He let you shadow him everywhere and let you have fun and spent time with you and-"

"Only because he's afraid of me, too! He's afraid that I'll go around attacking people again if he doesn't keep me happy. It wasn't because he cared. It was out of fear!"

"It wasn't out of fear!" Ichigo tried to make him understand. "The other Soul Reapers didn't know you were an Arrancar. They don't know about the experiment. They still treated you well, didn't they? Weren't you friends with them?"

"I can never be friends with Soul Reapers! It's all a lie!" Veneno dashed forward and started slashing at Ichigo's torso. Though there was fury behind all of his attacks, Ichigo could tell that they were empty. He was just swinging blindly motivated by rage and sorrow. And confusion. Did Veneno really not believe these things could be true or was he forcing himself to believe they were lies?

"Listen to me, Veneno!"

"Don't call me that!" He swung again and this time nicked his sleeve. "Don't call me that!"

"It's your name, isn't it?"

"Shut up! Don't call my name, you bastard!" This time when he swung he not only took a chunk out of his sleeve but also a piece of flesh. Ichigo grabbed his shoulder feeling the blood flow from the wound. Screaming, Veneno lunged at him again. Ichigo backed up frantically.

He didn't want Ichigo to speak his name. Why? As their swords clashed together, Ichigo thought he understood why that was. Names expressed familiarity. Fpr someone else to say his name out loud meant that he was not alone and had someone there to say it. Convincing himself that he couldn't coexist with Soul Reapers, much less be their friends, for one to call him by name meant that they were friends. That there was a connection. He couldn't allow one to get under his skin. Not his sworn enemy.

Their swords clanged together with such force the blades vibrated violently making their ears ring.

Maybe that wasn't the only reason. Maybe the reason Veneno didn't want Ichigo to call him by name was because of their history together. He wanted Ichigo to be his friend and keep him company. The end result? Ichigo killed him. Was he holding some sort of grudge or was it something deeper than that?

He kept saying it as all a lie. Did that mean that he didn't want to get hurt again so he was distancing himself from Ichigo and refusing to believe that the Soul Reapers had become his friends? He didn't want to get close to anyone. He didn't want to let them into his heart. He didn't want to get hurt. He didn't want to admit that he may have had feelings for these people he had known to be his enemies. Veneno was much more complex than Ichigo thought.

Their fight carried on into the next street. Now Ichigo was swinging back but not to hurt him. He was only trying to knock the sword out of his hand. Veneno was just as fast as he remembered him. In an instant, Veneno was at his side and stabbed him just below his ribcage. He pulled his sword back out and tried to attack from a different angle.

"Knock it off, Veneno!"

"I told you not to call me that!" Veneno cut open his chest. Ichigo's blood sprayed the wall to his left. Veneno charged in again and Ichigo blocked. "Soul Reapers are cruel! Can't you see that, Ichigo? They're evil! I mean, look what they did to me! What they're still doing to me!"

He was not only referring to the painful experiments but to them playing with his emotions. It was cruel to lead him on and make him think that they could actually get along and that they cared. There was no possibility of that happening.

Ichigo dodged another swing. "You're looking at this all wrong!"

"Am I?" Veneno jumped back for a moment to speak. "You know their laws, don't you? Anyone with Hollow powers is to be killed, even if that person happens to be a fellow Soul Reaper. See how they are?" He pointed the tip of his blade at Ichigo's heart. "You may think they're your friends, Ichigo, but they'll turn on you the second they know what dwells within you. They'll eliminate you because of your Hollow powers."

"You're wrong. A lot of them already know about my powers and they let me live."

He scoffed. "Only because you're their lapdog. Or the fact that you're human, too, so they can't touch you."

Veneno did have a point. Why were they allowing him to live? Were those the real reasons behind it?

"No, it's because they trust me. I've proven myself to them again and again. It's about controlling yourself. Look, I know how you feel about Soul Reapers and how they contradict themselves by claiming to help save people by killing them and all that, but there's more to it than you're seeing. You're not a normal Hollow anymore. You're an Arrancar. You have some humanity in you and you're able to reason so they'll be more likely to hear you out and not kill you on sight. You haven't done anything yet so they won't kill you."

"They don't need a reason. I don't have to do anything. Being Hollow is more than enough of a reason for them," Veneno said coolly. "They're afraid."

Ichigo tried to speak calmly to him but his voice was still firm. "You still think Soul Reapers are afraid of you? No matter what? Well, then how do you explain what's going on now, huh? You're hanging out with those Soul Reapers on a daily basis and they don't seem to be afraid of you. I've seen you spar together and eat together and hang out together and mess around. I can tell you're not afraid of them and they aren't of you."

Veneno's hands were shaking. It was true. When he was with them, he felt no fear. They were kind to him and treated him like family. When they touched him, he felt at ease. It was comforting. When they spoke to him, he was never lonely. He enjoyed it. He loved it when they praised him and he felt happy when they laughed. Things he had never felt before. Things he had always wanted to feel.

From Soul Reapers? Impossible! They were the enemy. It was some kind of trick. It couldn't be real... No matter how real it felt.

"No. No, No!" Veneno cut into Ichigo's other arm drawing blood. Ichigo's arm convulsed. Veneno's sword must have hit a nerve or muscle. "They weren't afraid of me because they didn't know what I was. That's all."

"Exactly!" Ichigo cried over their clashing swords. "Because of that, they were able to judge more freely. They were judging you on your character and not by what you are. They saw you! Don't you get it? You're free from discrimination. Because they didn't know you were an Arrancar, nothing was clouding their judgment of you. No predetermined idea or fate or any of that. Just you."

This time when Veneno's sword clanged against his, Ichigo could feel him weaken slightly. Veneno's sword didn't have to kind of power behind it it had a moment ago.

"They weren't afraid of you and weren't your enemy because you hadn't done anything to them yet. That's what I've been trying to get through to you. They're not your enemy because of class or race or anything. It's if you make yourself to be the enemy. By attacking them or doing harm to them first."

For a few moments their swords remained frozen in place, leading Ichigo to believe that he had gotten through to Veneno. Then Veneno's hand left his sword and punched Ichigo across the face.

"It's a lie! A trick! You won't fool me!" Veneno landed another attack on Ichigo, cutting into the leg of his hakama. "Those Soul Reapers only trusted me because they thought I was a fellow Soul Reaper. Because we dress the same that makes me their ally. If I wasn't dressed this way they would never give me a chance. Soul Reapers only trust other Soul Reapers. They keep to their own kind."

"That's not true either. Maybe it was before but not now." Ichigo tried again to explain it to him. "At first, yes they thought that unless you were a Soul Reaper you couldn't be trusted. Then three Soul Reaper captains decided to betray them and attacked. Now it's Soul Reaper against Soul Reaper. It caught them all by surprise. Then other people stepped in to help the other Soul Reapers, some of them were Hollows. Now everything they knew to be true before is all topsy-turvy. Now they trust more on action than on race. There were even Soul Reapers who came to help the Arrancars. Just because you're an Arrancar doesn't mean it's guaranteed one way or the other. You've got as good a chance as any other."

If that were the case then the Soul Reaper laws weren't as set in stone as he had thought. Still, Veneno refused to believe it.

"It doesn't matter anyway."

Ichigo glanced at him curiously.

"Because of what I've done in the past, no one will give me a second chance." His grip tightened. "Either way... I'm still just an experiment to them. So even what you say isn't really true. They still brought me back so I could endure more torture. That's what it's all about." He shut his eyes tightly. "They care about data. They don't give a damn about me."

"That's not-" Ichigo was cut off by Veneno's sword again. He was hit with such force he broke through one of the stone walls. Veneno jumped over the rubble and kicked him into another wall. Ichigo was sent in a straight line right through it and out the other side. "Listen! I know you're mad now but-"

Veneno kicked him again. Ichigo rolled across the street. He jumped to his feet just as Veneno aimed another kick at his head.

"Listen to me! They didn't bring you back to torture you. Ever stop to think that maybe they're trying to make amends?"

"How?" Veneno clashed swords with Ichigo. "All I can see is how willing they are to bring me back only to kill me again. I'm just some sick game to them! They feel the need to toy with my life! They just love to watch me suffer!"

Their swords clanged again and again. Ichigo's arms vibrated with every hit. He had almost forgotten how strong Veneno was. If he weren't so angry and able to fight using more skillful swordplay, Ichigo may have had no chance in this battle. He would have had to fight for his life.

"Think of it as a blessing," Ichigo said, pushing Veneno's sword back. "You were given a second chance. You can do things differently this time. You can have the life you always wanted. Don't make the same mistakes as before."

"The only mistake I made was keeping them alive! I should have killed them all when I had the chance!"

"Then you would have been lonely!" Ichigo shouted back. "Didn't you make them Hollow Reapers so you wouldn't have to be alone all the time?" He was lonely so he made some friends. That's all he was doing. He wanted to be happy.

Their swords rang again. Ichigo was pushed back into a wall and had to duck to avoid the blade coming at his head. He may have lost a few hairs but it was better than his head. Veneno ran close to the ground to catch Ichigo's legs. He jumped up to avoid the attack and landed on Veneno's sword, pinning it under his feet. With one hard jerk, Veneno managed to free his weapon and struck at Ichigo's ankles.

"You wanted friends, right? Well, you made some. With the Soul Reapers."

"Shut up!" Veneno cut Ichigo just below the knee. It wasn't a deep wound but it stung.

"I know you think they're your enemies, but you made friends with those Soul Reapers. I know you did."

"I said shut up!" Veneno screamed, slashing left and right.

"You had fun with them. You liked being in their company. Why else would you ask to hang out with them everyday? As much as you say you hate them, you sure spent an awful amount of time with them."

"That's because I didn't know any better! I didn't have a choice!"

Favoring physical attacks more than swordplay, Veneno flashed away, reappearing above Ichigo to deliver a quick punch to his head. Ichigo managed to avoid it but wasn't able to avoid the kick to his shoulder in the middle of Veneno's descent. Veneno darted right and left, keeping his body low to the ground. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Ichigo. He blocked the fist with his injured arm then ducked to avoid a quick roundhouse kick. Veneno swung his sword again which Ichigo just barely managed to block. A crack ran across the window of the building behind Ichigo's back. He struggled to push Veneno away. The harder he tried the harder Veneno pushed against him. Ichigo was pinned to the wall. He kicked out at Veneno, managing to hit him behind the knee, causing him to bend. Ichigo kicked off from the wall and over Veneno's head.

As soon as he landed, Veneno came at him again with his fist. This time, his hand was glowing. He was using a Bala. Ichigo bent his spine backwards and watched as the Bala slammed into the opposite wall, blasting a hole into the next street. Ichigo sprang back on his hands flipping over and back onto his feet. He ran backwards to avoid Veneno's next few attacks. Veneno sent another Bala his way and into the building. The wall crumbled away, pelting both of them with debris and rubble. Wasting no time, Veneno lept through the raining stone and dust. Their swords ran again.

"Why is it so hard for you to understand?" Ichigo shouted, dodging another swing. "You hadn't done anything to them so they like you. They haven't done anything to you so you liked them. Everyone was at peace. It has nothing to do with them thinking you're a Soul Reaper. The Soul Reapers have become friends with non-Soul Reapers. It's a clean slate with you. You can start fresh. Begin anew. So far it seems to be working for you, Ven-"

"Don't say my name!" Veneno's sword ran through Ichigo's shoulder. "Don't say it! Don't call me that! Don't!" He was becoming more frantic. He started to twist his sword while it remained embedded in Ichigo's arm, tearing apart his flesh and muscle. "Don't! I hate you! I hate you!"

Now Ichigo thought he had him figured out. The last time he allowed himself to believe that he had made a friend, that friend killed him. When he thought his Hollow Reaper companions would be there to keep him company and do as he wished, they turned on him. Not only that, but he found out that they weren't the company he wanted. He wanted someone to talk to. All they could do was growl. Every time he opened his heart to someone it was broken. He thought he had finally found a real true friend in Ichigo with whom he could have a mutual understanding and be able to connect like everyone else. He turned out to be wrong. Ichigo still chose the side of the Soul Reapers over him. They were both Hollow so he felt betrayed when Ichigo chose to fight against him in order to protect them, the very people who had tormented him so much. Veneno didn't want to get hurt again. No, it was more than that. Given what he had experienced, he felt such a thing was impossible for him. He was destined to be alone. Friendship for him was impossible no matter what he did.

"You keep telling yourself that... but it's not true."

"Shut up!"

"You don't hate me and now you can't hate them."

"I said shut up!" Veneno thrust his sword forward and this time Ichigo did not bother to get out of the way. He took the hit willingly. He raised his left hand. The sword's tip entered through his palm and out the back of his hand. The blade sank deeper until the blade reached its end. Ichigo wrapped his fingers around the hilt to hold Veneno's sword in place. Now he couldn't use it again. Veneno jerked the sword up and down but it wouldn't budge from Ichigo's bloody hand. "Let go!"

"You want to believe it but you've given up hope, haven't you?"

Veneno clawed at Ichigo's arm, trying desperately to free his sword. "Let go! Let go of it!"

"You did find friends but it's so hard for you to accept that because of everything you've known up until now."

"Stop it!"

"Now you've seen things in a different light. This time, they weren't your enemy. You got to live life as an equal. With them. They cared about you."

"Shut up!" Veneno wailed, pulling Ichigo's arm up and down. Even as his fingernails cut into his wrist, Ichigo did not give up the sword. Through all the pain, he remained calm and collected. After all, this pain was nothing compared to his. Veneno kept pulling and twisting, his panting shaky. He was like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Admit it, Veneno."

"Don't call me that!" He peeled back Ichigo's skin with his nails. Still, the sword was unusable. Desperate, Veneno started to bite Ichigo's arm.

Through all the pain, he spoke to him. "They cared about you. They liked having you around. Don't throw all that away. I know you think they're your enemy, I know you hold a grudge because of the past, but now this is a fresh start. Isn't this what you always wanted?"

Veneno started punching Ichigo in the chest and stomach, keeping his teeth in Ichigo's arm.

"You said that's all you ever wanted. You wanted to live. You wanted to have and experience the kind of things you never could. You wanted to take a nap in the middle of the day under a tree, and you did it. You wanted to be able to walk about without having to look over your shoulder. You wanted to be able to drop your guard without fear and you did that. You wanted to have friends and enjoy yourself and you did. You got to eat good food and hang out with people and have fun."

Veneno continued to punch him. Even when Ichigo started to feel dizzy, he held on and kept talking.

"It wasn't a lie. None of it. You know it in your heart. It was real."

It did. It did feel real. He felt real happiness for the first time in his life.

"They willingly spent time with you. They cared about you. You are important. Your life matters. You wanted to have friends, now you have them. You didn't want to be alone anymore. You're not anymore."

Veneno broke away from Ichigo's arm panting heavily. He wiped Ichigo's blood off his mouth. He beat Ichigo's chest with his fist but the strength in his arms had weakened. The hits were no longer powered by rage.

"They care. I care. If I didn't do you think I'd be out here with you now? I do care about you. You're my friend."

Veneno's breathing was uneven and shaking.

"You don't have to be alone anymore. I'm here. They're here. You're not alone." Ichigo just wanted him to take this chance. He wanted him to see that he wasn't alone and that he could be happy. He was allowed to live. There were people who cared about him.

All he ever wanted was a family and friends. He didn't want to be alone anymore. He didn't want to live in fear. He didn't want to suffer through anymore pain. Even though the Soul Reapers had hurt him in the past, Veneno understood that he wasn't without blame either. He did do some pretty horrible things to them as well.

When the Hollow Reapers were around he may have not been alone but he was still lonely. It wasn't the same as having someone to talk to. The Hollow Reapers were practically mindless beasts, hardly people to hold a conversation with. He felt the happiest around Ichigo. With him around, he never felt lonely. He wanted Ichigo to stay by his side but the situation was complicated. Veneno had made himself to be the enemy. That was why Ichigo fought against him. He really didn't have a choice. It had nothing to do with what they were. Hollow or not, Soul Reaper or not, he was doing harm to other people and threatening people. No one was completely without blame.

Though Soul Reapers were supposed to be his enemy, he had been living with them ever since he was revived. Training with them, talking to them, working side by side with them, enjoying their company. He really did enjoy it. He liked being with them. They didn't do anything to hurt him. Maybe they weren't as evil as he had thought. Maybe it was cause and effect.

Still, did that mean he had to give up on his hatred of them? They did hurt him after all. Most of his pain came from them. It was their fault. Maybe not entirely but they certainly contributed. But maybe Ichigo was right and it was time to start anew. So far it had been working. He had been happy.

But was it real? This was all based on a lie. Even taking the Soul Reapers out of the equation, he still wasn't convinced. After all, it wasn't really him they were friends with. He wasn't really befriending them. It was another version of him. A fake Veneno. No, Ichigo was right. It was him, just without memories from the past. Maybe Ichigo was right and that could have been him if he had never been wronged by the Soul Reapers. They hadn't hurt him yet so he didn't hate them. Maybe the whole thing wasn't a lie after all.

How could something so real be a lie? He knew what he felt. It wasn't a lie. It was real. He did care about them. He had been concerned about Akon when he had been injured. He remembered being so happy when Akon came to fetch him in the morning. He liked working with him. It may have been work, but he actually found it fun. He enjoyed working with them and helping out. He liked being praised and he liked seeing their pleased expressions when he had done a good job. He enjoyed looking at the moon with both Ichigo and Akon. He remembered how worried both of them had been whenever he was in pain or in a bad way. Their concern made him feel happy. They really did care about him. Training with the members from Squad 11 was a lot of fun, too. They were happy to have him around and praised him, too. Being with them made him happy. And all those experiences were real, too. He finally was able to do all the things he always wanted to. They may have been little simple dreams but the were being fulfilled. He got to experience what it was like to be without fear. He got a hug from Ichigo, he felt what it was like to hold hands with someone, he got to feel what it was like to be around women who made him feel funny inside. He was allowed to live.

He was happy. He wasn't alone. He wasn't afraid. There were people in his life now who didn't want to hurt him. He had friends. He had people who cared about him. And he cared about them in return.

He didn't want to be in pain anymore. He didn't want to be alone anymore. This felt so real to him. How could it be a lie?

Ichigo watched as Veneno's shoulders shook up and down. His body was trembling. His breathing was still uneven, but quieter. He stood in front of Ichigo with his head down. As Ichigo was beginning to wonder if he should start speaking again, he heard Veneno say something in a quiet voice. His voice was breaking.

"Say my name."

Ichigo blinked.

Veneno lifted his head revealing his tear-covered face. "Please... Say my name... so I can finally stop crying."

All he ever wanted was to have friends. He didn't want to be alone. Contact with someone. Another's voice. When Ichigo had first met Veneno he mentioned to him that having a name was pointless if there was no one around to call you by it. Ichigo was the first one to call him by name. Ichigo was a voice other than his own. Hearing his name come from another's mouth was proof that he wasn't alone. A voice other than his own.

"Veneno."

At his name, he broke down and started sobbing. But not from pain. From joy. Relief.

His tears were cleansing.

It was real. No tricks, no deception.

Ichigo lowered his sword and put his arm around Veneno, comforting him. As Veneno wept into his chest, Ichigo spoke his name again. "Veneno."

Overjoyed and at peace, Veneno cried, clinging to Ichigo's bloodstained clothes with both hands.

He wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

Aww... Emotional chapter, huh?

Please review! ^-^


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

The fight may have been over, but there was still a battle raging inside of Veneno. While he opened his heart to Ichigo and trusted him, he was still struggling to do the same with the other Soul Reapers. It was much easier to trust them before he regained his memory. Even Ichigo would admit that. Now Veneno was at war with himself. Should he open his heart to them, too? Could he really trust them? He still held a lot of mistrust and bore a deep grudge against them. This was going to be a lot harder than Ichigo thought. There was always going to be doubt in Veneno's mind. At least for now.

Though Veneno said that it was the Soul Reapers who were afraid of him, being an Arrancar and all, but Veneno was just as frightened of them.

This fact was most apparent when both Ichigo and Veneno had to go to Squad 4 for their injuries. Unohana saw to both of them. Almost at once, the Captain seemed to know the truth about Veneno. Ichigo quickly explained the situation and Unohana agreed to keep Veneno's true nature a secret.

After treating Ichigo's injures, she called Veneno forward for his treatment. He refused to come. He stood with his back against the wall on the opposite side of the room like a frightened animal.

"Come on. She doesn't bite." Ichigo beckoned him over but Veneno still refused to come any closer. He was already in the same room with a Soul Reaper. That was far enough.

Unohana smiled patiently at him, seeming to understand his fear. "It's hard to treat you from over there. Please come closer."

Veneno shook his head, pressing his back into the wall.

"Please come over here," Unohana pointed to the bed she sat beside. "You'll be more comfortable over here. Please."

"Nuh-uh!" Veneno couldn't back up any further but he continued to try to distance himself from her.

"She's just going to do the same thing to you she did to me," Ichigo tried to reassure him. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll be right here next to you. I won't let her hurt you."

Veneno glared. "Sh- shut up! As if I'm afraid of that. Don't treat me like some child."

Ironically, he was acting just like a child.

"Please," Unohana said again. "Come closer so I can treat you."

Hesitating for several moments, Veneno finally moved closer. He slid his feet across the smooth tiles very slowly, stopping after a short distance. He had only moved a few inches.

"Closer than that."

He slid his feet again, keeping his back against the wall.

"You're still not away from the wall."

He slid again, stopping at the nightstand beside the bed. Now he had run out of wall.

Unohana smiled at him again. "I could always come to you if it's too difficult for you."

That was not an option. Veneno very slowly lifted his back from the wall and inched his way over to the bed. Ichigo checked the time using the clock mounted on the wall. It took Veneno five whole minutes to come away from the wall and over to the bed. And he wasn't even there yet! Ichigo wished he would move faster than that. If it weren't for his arm in a sling or the fact that Veneno needed to be coaxed slowly because of his fear, Ichigo would have pushed him onto the bed himself. However, holding him down by force wasn't going to help Veneno get over his fear and distrust of them. He was on the mend. Slowly.

Finally, Veneno was standing by the bed looking at the woman sitting in the chair at the foot of the bed. He stared, or rather glared at her, his whole body tense.

"Please sit down." She pointed to the bed.

He shook his head.

"It's ok," said Ichigo. "You can sit down."

He didn't budge. They waited without a word. Unable to stand the silence or their stares any longer, Veneno sat down. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, ready for a quick getaway if need be.

"Thank you," Unoahan smiled. She moved closer to him and reached for his arm. Veneno flinched and pulled away, scrambling to the other side of the bed. "It's alright. I was just going to check your vitals."

"I'm breathing, aren't I? I'm alive."

"It's a standard thing all doctors have to do. She did it to me. You saw." Ichigo hoped that would get Veneno to come back and let Unohana do her job.

After a few minutes, Veneno crawled back over to where he sat before and kept very still. Unohana moved slowly, trying to show Veneno that she meant him no harm. She took his arm and pressed two fingers on his wrist, checking his pulse. "Your heart rate's a little high but you're under stress so that shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Veneno kept his eye on her the whole time, tense. Every once in a great while, he would quickly glance over at Ichigo. Maybe it was for reassurance or maybe it was just to check and make sure he was still there.

Unohana announced everything she was going to do before she did it so Veneno wouldn't be taken by surprise and panic. However when she stood up from her chair and reached for his neck with both hands, he jumped back, thinking she was going to strangle him.

"Relax. I was going to feel your glands."

He kept his body tucked up tightly, glaring at her.

"Like this." Unohana demonstrated on herself, feeling up and down her neck with her hands. "See? It doesn't hurt."

He looked at Ichigo. "She did it to me, too. You saw," he told him. Sighing, Veneno uncurled himself and stretched up his neck and lowered his shoulders so she could reach him.

"Thank you. It just takes a second." She felt his neck with her hands. Veneno kept his eyes shut tightly as if she were hurting him. He gave a small whimper when her fingers brushed his Adam's apple. She pulled away. "All done. That wasn't so bad, right?"

Veneno opened his eyes and seemed surprised. That didn't hurt at all. It just felt weird.

Next she moved closer with a stethoscope. He flinched when he saw the instrument come toward his chest. Unohana touched it with her hand, showing him that it wasn't sharp and wouldn't hurt him. "I'm just going to listen to your chest, ok? Like this." She pressed it to her own chest showing him what she was going to do. When Veneno relaxed slightly, she pressed it to his chest and started listening. "Take a deep breath in and out for me."

He inhaled and exhaled as she moved the device over his chest. When she moved behind him, he started to scramble from the bed. He didn't want her to be where he couldn't see what she was doing. Ichigo stood in front of him, blocking his path. "She's going to do it on your back, too."

Veneno tried to keep an eye on her, turning his head as far as it would go. She touched him with the device again and told him to breathe the way he had before. The device moved across his back with every deep breath he took. When it got lower, Veneno's back arched and shivered as if she had touched him with an ice cube.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"N- no... It feels weird."

"Your lower back is sensitive. Don't worry, I'm almost done." She had him breathe in and out two more times then moved on to something else. She looked in his ears, mouth and nose with a another device with a small light on it.

Veneno didn't like tools being so close to his body. It brought back all the painful memories from when he was experimented on. He had a fear of medical instruments as a result. Whenever one was close to him, he knew it meant pain would come. He had been conditioned to expect pain from such objects. These tools, however, weren't painful at all. It was a relief but he still expected pain would come. Especially when she came at him with a small hammer next.

"I'm going to check your reflexes next. I'm going to use this to tap your knee and see if it moves. Just relax." Veneno gripped the bed as she hovered the hammer in front of his knee. She gave it a small tap and his leg jerked out. It felt weird, almost like hitting his elbow in a table. It wasn't exactly painful but he didn't like the feeling nonetheless.

"Are we done yet?" he asked.

"Just one more thing. Stand up, please."

Veneno stood.

"Hold out your arms like this." Unohana showed him what to do. She held out her arms to the side so her body formed a large T. Veneno mimicked her actions. "Good, stay still for me, ok?" Unohana started to feel either side of his body with her hands. She was feeling his shoulders, his ribs and his hips. When her hand brushed against his side he jerked back, doubling over. "Did that hurt you?"

"No." Veneno held his side, turning his body away from her. "Tickles."

Unohana gave an amused giggle.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Your ticklish."

"Quiet!"

Unohana stopped giggling. "All done. As far as I can see, nothing's broken. Your vitals are good and you seem to be in good health. Ichigo's worse off than you are."

"Well, the main difference there is that one of us wasn't trying to hurt the other." Ichigo shot a look at Veneno.

The Arrancar looked at Ichigo's bandaged body, his left hand in a cast and arm in a sling. "Yeah. Sorry about that. You started it, though."

"I started it?!"

"Voices down in the sickbay," Unohana warned.

"Sorry."

As Unohana jotted down notes on a clipboard, Ichigo grew concerned.

"So you're not going to tell anyone about this... right?"

The Captain looked up, smiling. "You made your situation quite clear. You just needed a check-up. I see no reason why it should be broadcast. Doctor-patient confidentiality."

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he could trust Unohana. She agreed not to tell anyone that Veneno was really an Arrancar.

Unohana glanced over Ichigo's shoulder at the door. Ichigo turned around and found Akon standing in the doorway, staring at them wide-eyed. Two nurses were trying to pull him away but he refused to come. Unohana waved them off and the two women left.

"What happened this time?" Akon asked wearily.

"Just a little scuffle," the Captain answered. "Don't worry. I finished checking the both of them."

"Oh, no..." Akon moaned. There was no denying Veneno was an Arrancar now. Unohana was a sharp woman, but even a complete fool could clearly see that Veneno wasn't a Soul Reaper after a physical exam. "Captain Unohana, please listen to me. Veneno-"

"Don't worry. I won't tell." She set the clipboard aside.

"Then... you know he's an Arrancar?"

"The mask and hole in the center of his chest are rather hard to miss. Can't overlook those." She moved to the other side of the room, putting away her medical supplies. "I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping it a secret so I won't tell anyone. Besides, my job is to heal, not to pass judgment."

"Thank you, Captain." Akon bowed to Unohana. Keeping her lips sealed may have not only saved Veneno but Akon's skin as well.

"So what's gonna happen now?" Ichigo asked.

Unohana glanced at Veneno who had once again backed up against the wall. "The way I see it, you have two options. One, he can stay here for observation. Two, he can return to his room to rest."

"He has a choice?"

She nodded. "His injuries are very minor. He really doesn't need to stay here in the sickbay if he doesn't want to. As long as he gets some rest I don't think it matters where he goes. Just don't have him do any work for the rest of the day. Ichigo's free to go, too."

Ichigo looked down at his injured arm. Between the two of them, Ichigo was the one in most need of rest. Unohana was good at what she did, however that didn't mean that Ichigo was completely healed. His hand kept tingling and his arm throbbed as his wounds began to mend.

"What would you like to do?"

The question was aimed at Veneno who seemed very surprised to hear that he had a choice. He looked from side to side, frowning. If he remained in the sickbay, it meant that Soul Reapers would be coming in and out all the time. He would be surrounded by them. If he went back to his room, he could avoid them and hide until he had the situation sorted out.

He chose the latter. "I'll go back to my room."

Unohana smiled at him. "I hope you feel better. Take care."

Veneno seemed torn. He stared at her for a long time then looked at the ground. He seemed to be mulling over if he should say anything or not. He didn't seem to know what to say.

"Ok, let's go." Ichigo started to head toward the door. Something grabbed him from behind. Veneno had grabbed onto Ichigo and wouldn't let go. His shoulders were raised, covering his neck and his head was tucked down. He looked frightened. "I'm going, too. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried!" Veneno jumped back. When Unohana waved him good-bye Veneno moved closer to Ichigo again.

Akon led the way down the hall toward the barracks. As they passed several Soul Reapers on their way, Ichigo noticed Veneno becoming more paranoid. At first he was able to walk beside Ichigo keeping his hands to himself. A few minutes later, Veneno was walking closer to Ichigo. Now he had latched himself to Ichigo's uninjured arm. With every smiling Soul Reaper they passed, Veneno's grip would grow tighter, giving them suspicious glares. His actions reminded Ichigo of a shy child. He even hid his face in Ichigo's back when they passed a large group of jogging Soul Reapers.

It seemed that Veneno would have to go through some form of rehabilitation. He had to get used to being around Soul Reapers again.

As they stopped in front of Veneno's door, Akon turned around to speak with him and was surprised to find Veneno glaring at him. "What's gotten into you?"

Veneno hid behind Ichigo's back, still clinging to his arm. "I know I'm an Arrancar and I know what you did to me, you jerk."

Akon looked at Ichigo for clarification.

"He got his memory back."

Akon groaned, rubbing his forehead. "I knew this would happen eventually. I thought I'd be better prepared for it."

"Why'd you do it?" Veneno asked.

"Do what?"

His grip on Ichigo tightened. His arm was starting to go numb. "Why'd you bring me back? What was the reason?"

Akon didn't avoid the question and his answer was slow in coming. He seemed to be coming up with an honest answer rather than a lie that would make him feel better or make himself look good. "It was the Captain's project. His reasons. I was barely involved. I wasn't the one who brought you back. He was. I don't know why he did it."

Veneno didn't look satisfied with that answer. He still looked angry. It seemed his suspicions were correct and his life was nothing more than a game to them. His worth was only measured in what he could provide for their research.

"But I doubt he did it to hurt you," Akon added. "The Captain may be insane and cruel and impulsive and reckless... but he has some integrity. Somewhere deep inside, and I mean way deep inside, he has a compassionate heart. At the very worst, he was just looking for information and never bothered to think what it would do to you in the long term or emotionally, but he would never do anything deliberately to hurt you. That much I can guarantee you."

Veneno refused to look at him but Ichigo could feel his grip loosen slightly.

Akon opened the door. "Like Unohana said, you can rest here today. You don't have to do any work. I'll come by to fetch you in the morning."

Veneno didn't budge. Sighing, Ichigo moved toward the door. Still attached to his arm, Veneno had no choice but to follow. When Ichigo had one foot in the door, Veneno detached himself and scrambled to the other side of the room and sat with his back to the far corner. He kept his eye on Ichigo. He looked like a dog looking to his master for reassurance.

"It's ok, Veneno. As far as everyone's concerned, you're still one of them."

"But I'm not a Soul Reaper."

"That's not what I meant."

Veneno lowered his head. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he sat in the corner without a word.

Ichigo knew Veneno was overwhelmed and needed time. He had to work things out himself and to do that he needed to be alone. Ichigo reached forward and touched Veneno's knee with his right hand. "It'll be ok. I'll see you later, ok?"

Veneno curled into a tight ball, hiding his face. As Ichigo left the small room, he could feel Veneno's eyes upon him, watching him leave.

The door closed and Ichigo turned to Akon. "You don't seem all that surprised that Veneno got his memory back. You weren't that upset by it."

Akon looked away.

"You knew it was going to happen, didn't you?"

Akon pulled the small log book out of his pocket. "I suspected it would happen given what I put in here. The dreams he had been having were memories. That was the first hint. I didn't really know what was going to happen until Mayuri told me the other day. He said that one good trigger could cause all his memories to return. We don't know how or when or what would do it, but we knew it would happen eventually. In fact, that may have been the reason why all those people were after you in the first place so the way I see it-"

"Wait," Ichigo interrupted. "What people? What are you talking about?"

"When Captain Hitsugaya attacked us a while ago. And all the other Soul Reapers who have been obsessing over you. Haven't you noticed that? You were the target. They all wanted you."

"Me..?" Something clicked inside Ichigo's brain and he started to connect the pieces. "You mean all those people who would suddenly latch onto me and try to take me to the Soul Society with them?" Like Byakuya, Yumichika and Hanataro.

"You cannot be that dense. You mean you haven't noticed?"

"Of course I noticed! I just didn't know it was connected. What does any of that have to do with Veneno anyway?"

"Simple." Akon pointed to the room where Veneno sat in isolation. "When Mayuri resurrected him, Veneno's mind wasn't fully conscious, which was why he had amnesia in the first place. So all the people who had become Hollow Reapers in the past responded to Veneno's subconscious mind. The part of his mind that was so desperate for friendship and felt a connection with you. Therefore all those people responded to that part of his mind and started to obsess about you and wanted you to be with them. It's very simple. Veneno wanted you so he wouldn't be lonely, so they wanted you."

"If Veneno wants me, then they want me?"

Akon nodded. "That's it in a nutshell. It was an emotional response of the subconscious. There's really no logic behind it."

"So that's why they kept their personalities. They weren't being controlled at all. It was just a powerful emotion they had." Ichigo understood now. Veneno and the former Hollow Reapers were connected subconsciously. They were responding to Veneno's desire to be with Ichigo so he wouldn't be alone. It was an emotion, not a thought. "But wait. Now that Veneno has his memory back..?"

"No one should have any of those episodes anymore. They were only behaving that way because Veneno hadn't truly woken up yet. His memories were locked up inside his subconscious. Which is what they were responding to. Now that he has regained his memories, there shouldn't be a reason for them to behave that way anymore. His subconscious has now become his conscious mind again. Even though the two are still separate, the memories were trapped in the subconscious since he wasn't fully awake yet when he was revived. Now that he has woken up, the memories in his subconscious have now moved back to his conscious mind where they belong. More or less. You get what I'm trying to say?"

Ichigo felt lightheaded. "Uh, you lost me somewhere in the middle."

Akon groaned. "Well, I am trying to simplify it. Guess I'm not doing a very good job. The mind is a complicated thing... Well, I understand it. As long as you get the gist of it you should be fine."

"Without the details and long explanation, what's the short story here?"

"Ok, the sum-up is that now that Veneno has his memory back, the others shouldn't be coming after you anymore. They were only responding to the memories trapped in his subconscious. Now that his memories are no longer in his subconscious, there's nothing for them to respond to." Seeing the look on Ichigo's face, Akon added. "They were acting that way because Veneno had amnesia. Now that he has his memories back, they shouldn't be acting like that anymore. With me?"

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. It's less of a headache if I only know the answer and not the why." It was a huge relief. Byakuya said that he wouldn't tell anyone about their own findings unless they had another reaction. Now that Veneno had his memory back, no one should have that reaction anymore. He could finally be at ease. There was no need to worry anymore. "So I guess Mayuri found all that stuff out when you showed him the book, right? About his dreams that weren't really dreams."

Akon averted his eyes. "I, uh... never told him about the dreams Veneno had been having."

"Why not?"

"I didn't think it was relevant."

Ichigo frowned. "The hell you didn't. I may not be a researcher like you but I know how you guys tend to work. When you're doing an experiment of any kind, you never leave out information. Everything is important." Akon kept his eyes down. Ichigo knew what was going on. "You were hiding it from him. You didn't want Mayuri to find out because you were worried what he would do to Veneno if he found out. You were worried about his well-being. You care about him."

"No, I don't. I was just asked to look after him, that's all. To get attached to an experiment would be foolish."

"Foolish or not, you do care."

"No, I don't."

"Admit it. You do care. Why else would you deliberately withhold information like that if you didn't care?"

Akon faced the other direction. "He's an experiment."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." Akon really did care about Veneno. He was just hiding it. He was denying it out loud and to himself, trying to convince himself it wasn't true. "If you were really doing this because Mayuri told you to, you wouldn't be keeping stuff from him."

Akon glanced back at Ichigo. "So how'd you get those injuries anyway?" he changed the subject.

Ichigo looked at his arm. He moved it up and down. He didn't really need the sling anymore. "Veneno and I had a little debate. Everything's cool now."

"Hm." Akon paused. "How'd he get his memory back anyway? What were you guys doing? Something jogged his memory."

"We were fighting a Hollow."

Akon turned around. "A Hollow? Where?"

"Just outside the lab. I was walking with him there and we found this Hollow stumbling around."

The Third Seat looked concerned. His eyes started to shift from side to side, searching his brain. "Out in the open like that? In the middle of the street?"

"Yeah. We fought that thing right there."

Akon shook his head. "That's impossible. A Hollow in the middle of the street in the middle of the day... someone was bound to sense it."

"We didn't sense it. We just saw it."

"A Hollow can't suppress its Spiritual Pressure that much. We would be able to sense something. Your run-of-the-mill Hollow doesn't do that. There would be traces of it somewhere."

"I'm telling you we didn't sense it at all."

Akon kept his eyes on the ground. After a minute he lifted his head. "Well, you killed it so there's not a problem. You should probably get back to your group. You're always disappearing on them. Don't want you to get in trouble."

Ichigo nodded. He gave one last look at the closed door and and went on his way. There was nothing more he could do here.

* * *

Time had changed again. It was late at night in the World of the Living. This time difference was really messing with Ichigo's inner clock. He no longer knew when it was time to sleep and when it was time to wake. It was the middle of the afternoon when Ichigo had left. Judging by how quiet it was, everyone had to be asleep. He crept inside through the back door which had been left unlocked. He tiptoed through the dining room to the kitchen.

"Forget something?"

Ichigo jumped. Cedric was standing in the dark holding his body by the scruff of the neck. He held it out for Ichigo to take.

"Byakuya needed his bed back so we had to move it."

After Ichigo slipped back into his body he thanked Cedric.

"You keep disappearing a lot. Something wrong?"

"What? No. I was just..." Ichigo shook his head, putting his thoughts aside. "It's nothing. I don't really need to wander off anymore. There's not much of a reason anymore. I took care of things. Everything should be good now."

Now he was the one lying to himself. He had been sneaking off to keep Veneno company. Now that he had returned to normal the problems were just beginning. Ichigo may have needed to return more often now. He had to make sure Veneno didn't snap. Before he was trying to make sure Veneno was left in good care and that he was happy. Now he had to make sure Veneno didn't lash out at anyone or declare war on the Soul Reapers.

"Everyone's already in bed."

That was Cedric's subtle way of telling Ichigo to get some rest and not leave again. Ichigo nodded and went into the den. Cedric walked behind him, making sure he didn't take any detours. Ichigo pushed the sleeping Hanataro aside and curled up on the couch. After he was settled in Cedric left.

As Ichigo lay on the couch, he started thinking. He knew Veneno would have to undergo some sort of rehabilitation to be able to be around Soul Reapers again. Which of course meant he would be returning to the Soul Society at some point in the near future. That wasn't all that was on his mind. Now he knew that the Soul Reapers were only behaving the way they were before because of Veneno's subconscious. Now that he had his memory back that hopefully meant that the random attacks would be a thing of the past. It wouldn't happen again which meant that he no longer had to worry about Byakuya informing the Soul Society about their findings. That was a piece of good news that was long overdue.

Then a new thought occurred to him. If the Soul Reapers were changing at random because of Veneno's subconscious, did that also mean that the same was happening with him? Ichigo's Hollow had been taking over at random which hadn't happened before. It was in sync with the former Hollow Reaper's changes. Did this mean that Ichigo's Hollow wouldn't be taking over either?

That made little sense. The people who were behaving that way were all former Hollow Reapers. Ichigo was never a Hollow Reaper so how did his random changes tie in with theirs? Maybe the problem wasn't solved. Maybe Ichigo's Hollow would take over again.

Ichigo shut his eyes tightly trying to shake those thoughts away. He shouldn't be thinking about that now. Now was time for rest and these weren't restful thoughts. If he needed answers that badly, he would go to Akon and ask. He seemed to know more than the others. If anyone had the answer it would be him.

* * *

This is only going to gets worse, isn't it? -_-'

Please review ^-^


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

After a breakfast of pancakes and eggs, the group tried to decide their activities. Rangiku and Yumichika had done far too much shopping. Their bags were occupying the room upstairs where Victor and Cedric kept their unused beds. According to Rukia there was barely any room to walk and the door could hardly close. Still, Rangiku insisted it wasn't a lot.

As Ichigo drank from his cup, Linnette suddenly grabbed his arm and the milk sloshed all over his hand and sleeve. "I know, I know! I want to go do stuff in the city with Ichigo!"

"Me?"

"You mean like sightseeing or something?" asked Rukia. "That's a great idea."

"It is?"

"Sure, Ichigo. After all, you haven't been around very much. She's barely done anything with you. You guys should go. It'll be fun."

Rukia had a point. Linnette was very excited to have Ichigo over and he had been neglecting her a bit on account of the Veneno situation. Compared to the rest of the group, Ichigo had barely done a thing with her. He had gone shopping with her and played video games but that was about it. He owed Linnette at least one afternoon of fun and adventure.

He turned to Linnette with a smile. "Sure. It does sound like fun. You'll have to show me around the city."

"We know all the best spots! Right, Victor?"

"The city is large. Can't see everything in one afternoon. We only know all the best places because we've lived here a while."

"Let's get going!" Linnette jumped from her seat and went straight for the door.

"Ho-ho hold it, Linnette." Victor playfully picked her up and held her off the ground over his head. "Not so soon. We should let everyone settle then plan things out."

"I want to go now!" she squirmed in the air.

Victor tossed her straight up and caught her on the way down. "Give us fifteen minutes to get everything situated and we'll go, ok?"

The group planned out who was going and who would stay behind. Byakuya wanted some peace and quiet so he opted to stay at the house. However, the owners of the house would not leave anyone there alone. Either Victor or Cedric would have to stay behind to keep him company and make sure nothing got broken. Rangiku still wanted to go shopping so someone had to make sure she didn't leave the house. Hanataro was nervous about being in the city so he wouldn't go unless someone was with him. Ikkaku was bored being cooped up in the house for days so he was willing to take a look around the city.

In the end, everyone ended up going. Unfortunately, the family only had one car and it wasn't nearly large enough to fit everyone inside. Five at the very most. So Victor called for a van to come to the house to take them to the city. Cedric was the largest of the group and the van was barely big enough for the group as it was so he opted to go into the city his own way, which of course meant hopping from roof to roof and running faster than the blink of an eye. The van pulled away from the house and took them into the city. They were let off in a popular area for tourists. Cedric arrived before they did and was waiting on a bench for them.

From there, everyone started going their separate ways. Linnette's guardians had to split up to keep track of the group. Cedric went with Rangiku, Yumichika, Ikkaku and Byakuya while Victor stayed with Linnette, Ichigo, Rukia and Hanataro.

"Where should we go first?" asked Victor as the others left to do their own thing.

Linnette had several different ideas. She looked around and started pointing at something down the street. The subway. What she wanted to do was further away from where they were now and they would have to take the subway to get there. There was no stopping her so Victor granted her wish.

Ichigo culdn't remember the last time he road a subway, nor if he ever had. In Karakura Town, everyone always walked or road bicycles. Ichigo didn't even know if they had a subway system in his home town. The stairway leading down was filthy and smelled damp with green plants growing out from between the cracks in the stairs and walls. Below was slightly cleaner but it still smelled terrible. All he could smell was concrete, metal, smoke and this persistent dampness. There were crowds of people piled together talking on cell phones, looking at the schedule or just sitting around. A large man passed by Ichigo and he had to hold his breath. The man smelled horrid! Either he was homeless or had never heard of a shower. Even a man who worked at the dump couldn't smelled that bad.

The train pulled up and all the people moved forward. As people started to depart, Ichigo heard several people in hats calling out in another language. They seemed to be selling something from a folding table near the wall. Ignoring them, Ichigo climbed aboard. He sat beside Rukia under a window. Many of the windows were covered up by posters and graffiti. Victor chose to stand by a vertical pole while Linnette restlessly hopped from seat to seat. The car wasn't very crowed so there was plenty of room for her to explore without disturbing too many passengers. She tried to grab onto the handles dangling overhead but couldn't reach them. When she tried to climb on the seat to reach, Victor grabbed her around the middle and set her back on the floor, deeming it was too dangerous. Very few people spoke as the subway train moved quickly through the dark underground tunnels. Many were using their phones, listening to music or reading. Others, like Ichigo, kept to themselves, choosing to people-watch instead.

When the subway came to a stop, people started to leave, including Victor and Linnette. This must have been their stop. Ichigo and Rukia and Hanarao followed. The sun seemed brighter when they returned to the surface. They were just outside a large building with white stone lions perched on either side of a large staircase. People were standing beside the lions getting their pictures taken. Others were sitting on the steps and other people were going inside the building.

"What's that?" Hanataro asked, pointing.

"That's the library," answered Linnette. "We're close by where I wanted to take you. I think you'll like it."

Victor gave them a knowing smile and led the way holding Linnette's hand.

They arrived at a small park were even more people were gathered. Victor passed it by, pointing across the street. That was where they were heading. Several tour buses were letting people off outside the park. This must have been another tourist location.

At the red light, Victor took the group across the street and over to a pair of glass doors. He held them open as the group entered. A guard stood by the door and greeted them kindly. Ichigo looked around. It was a bookstore. But there was something different about this one. They seemed to sell more than just books.

"Ichigo, look!" Rukia pointed to a large pile of books written in a language he could understand. They were manga books! Ichigo looked around. There were T-shirts and bags with animated creatures on them and plush toys and posters everywhere. This must have been an anime store. But there were things on shelves that weren't anime related at all. They were cook books and home improvement books and history books and clothing books and so much more. All of which were Asian related.

Linnette was standing on a small elevator going up to a second floor. "Up here!"

They followed her. Upstairs were even more manga books and DVDs and CDs and toys. There were art books, too. Linnette was dragging Ichigo over to an area which was separated by a small white wall. It was a cafe. Ichigo approached a table near the register, packaged foods illuminated by small lights. Bento box lunches, sandwiches and even bread. On the top rack at eye level were rice balls. Beside them were sweet buns stuffed with red bean paste. Everything was written in two languages: English and Japanese. He looked at the display case under the register which contained dozens of cakes and pies, some whole, some sliced and waiting on shiny white plates. Strawberry shortcake, just the kind he knew back home with strawberries between the layers and a large piece sitting on top nestled around white cream and dusted with a tiny bit of powdered sugar. There was more. Cherry cake, vanilla cake and chocolate cake. They all looked so delicious. Ichigo turned around to look at the people sitting at the small white tables. They were all Asian and they were all speaking a language he could understand. Half the staff seemed to be Asian as well.

He looked down at Linnette who hadn't taken her eyes off of him, watching his reaction. "I thought you'd like it."

In New York city, he couldn't understand anyone. It was rare to find someone who spoke the same language. The food here was foreign and even the dishes he was familiar with were poor imitations. This was more authentic, plus he could read it. This place made him feel more at home rather than a stranger struggling to understand. Linnette was trying to help him feel more comfortable in the city, showing him a place that was more of what he was used to.

He patted her head, smiling. "Thanks, Linnette. This is great." He started to load his arms up with rice balls and sweet buns and breads. The menu above the register showed even more options. He could get hot miso soup. He chose a slice of chocolate cake instead and picked a table, calling Rukia and Hanataro over. He shared the rice balls with them while keeping the cake all to himself. It was delicious. Linnette sat at the table with them with a piece of strawberry shortcake. Victor stood on the opposite side of the wall, watching them as they ate.

Linnette's efforts were not in vain. After leaving the store Ichigo was feeling more comfortable and wanted to explore more of the city. There was plenty to do. He could worry about everything later. For today he would relax and have some fun. The last time he was in the city on a field trip, he didn't take advantage of his surroundings. This time would be different. It was time for a little vacation. He was always busy either with school or Soul Reaper duties. He barely had time to be a normal teenager. Ichigo made up his mind. He would act like a normal teenager for one afternoon and not think about anything. This was a time to de-stress. He would worry later. Now it was time to have some fun and explore.

He followed the group to the mall a few blocks away. It was the largest mall Ichigo had ever been to. The mall in Karakura Town was decently big, but it was nothing compared to this. The mall back home was only three stories with a food court in the middle outside. This mall was nine stories and stretched over the entire block. Maybe further. Ichigo couldn't tell where it ended there were so many stores around. There were tables and chairs in the middle of the street and venders calling people over to their stands. It was impossible to tell where the street started and ended and where the different shops and buildings separated.

It was difficult getting inside. There were crowds of people standing around and looking at the merchandise. Though there was a food court, there were small food shops inside the clothing departments. Some were fast-food shops and others were sit-down restaurants with table clothes. No matter where he walked, Ichigo could smell bread baking, Chinese food and coffee. Rukia tried on different dresses, buying two of them. Since it was hard for her to find clothes that fit her, Ichigo didn't complain. But as they were leaving she grabbed a pink shirt off the rack and bought it without trying it on. As she stuffed it into her bag Ichigo saw a white rabbit printed on the chest. No wonder she had to have it.

They went to different shops on all the floors but didn't buy too much. Rukia bought a rabbit plush from a toy store and carried it around in her arms like a child. There was an indoor fountain in the mall and Linnette showed Hanataro how to throw coins in. They stopped for ice cream in the food court and sat around a table together. Rukia put her new plush in the seat next to her. Ichigo rolled his eyes. He hoped there were no rabbit-themed stores in the mall. Thankfully there were none.

After the mall, they traveled down a few blocks to Times Square. Everything was lit up in colorful lights and the signs kept changing. Rukia was curious about the theater but they didn't have time to take in a show. With the long line, it would be hours before they could get a seat anyway. There were even more shops they kept popping in and out of. There were street performers on every block and Ichigo and the others stopped to watch. There were people painted like the Statue of Liberty standing perfectly still until someone came close and moved, startling them. Hanataro was so surprised, he backed into Ichigo, stepping on his feet while the girls laughed. Linnette and Hanataro got a caricature together, then Rukia and Ichigo got one together. The artist drew them holding hands on the beach at sunset with hearts around their heads. Both Rukia and Linnette had to stop Ichigo from shredding it.

Next they went to the docks for a boat ride. It sounded like a peaceful, slow ride when Ichigo heard the news. Actually, it was a speedboat ride with dozens of other people. Since they were the last group to arrive they had to sit in the back. There was only room for four people so Victor stayed behind. The fact that he trusted Linnette to be in their care said a lot. As the engine turned over, the man at the wheel said something over the speaker Ichigo and the two Soul Reapers couldn't understand.

"What'd he say?"

Linnette turned to them, giggling. "He said the further back you are, the more you're gonna get wet."

Ichigo looked behind him, seeing the propeller rotating behind forming bubbles in the dark water. They were in the very last seat way in the back. "Oh, great."

The boat pulled away from the dock slowly. Linnette waved to Victor who waved back from the edge of the dock, keeping an eye on their bags. Suddenly the boat took off, gaining speed. Water splashed them in the face and chest. Ichigo didn't mind. It felt good. The boat bounced over waves and the wind blew his hair back. Linnette reached over the edge to touch the waves as they sailed over the water. Ichigo didn't want her to hurt herself so he didn't let her reach too far. She wasn't able to touch the water, but she was able to feel the heavy spray of salt water as the boat sped over the waves. Other passengers were doing it, too, so they decided to give it a try. Hanataro leaned over Rukia's lap to reach over the edge. Ichigo had the longest reach so he stretched behind Rukia's shoulders to do the same. He sat on his knees to get closer. The water slapped his hand as they rode by. The spray of the water felt like tiny stones hitting his palm. It stung a little but he liked it.

The boat slowed to a stop in the middle of the water and turned so everyone could see the island from afar. Cameras started snapping and people were posing. Water trickled down Ichigo's neck and fell from his damp hair. Now that they were stopped, Linnette leaned over the edge of the boat, slapping at the water with her hand while Hanataro and Rukia held onto her so she wouldn't fall in. She was soaking wet. So were the others. Ichigo looked down at his damp clothes sticking to his body. A camera clicked and he looked up, catching a young girl taking a picture of him. She could see his well-toned body through his wet shirt and couldn't resist. He chose to ignore it and looked at the island which looked like it was floating on the waves. There were other boats sailing by and on the other side of the bridge were even more, but they didn't look like tourist boats.

Everyone went back to their seats and the boat started back toward the island. Once again, water sprayed him in the face. He licked his lips, tasting the salt. The boat pulled up to the dock and the passengers started to depart. Soaking wet, everyone stepped off. Victor smiled at them, not surprised in the slightest that this happened. "Have fun?" he asked.

Rukia wrung out her shirt on the wooden dock. "It was great. Too bad we're all wet now."

"You'll dry." Victor held out her bag. "At least you bought a spare shirt."

She may have had something to wear but the others didn't. Ichigo didn't want to tromp through the city sopping wet.

Linnette had another idea. She pushed Ichigo's back toward another store. Ichigo tried on different outfits in the changing booth until he found one he liked. Hanataro bought a new outfit, too, and so did Linnette.

Victor kissed her forehead as they rung up their purchases. "You just needed an excuse for me to buy you a new dress. Clever little princess." Linnette just grinned.

From there it was more sightseeing. They doubled back through a lot, this time noticing things they hadn't before. Hanataro seemed wary as well as fascinated by a large bronze bull in the middle of the street. Many people were getting their pictures taken by it. "It's not gonna hurt you. It's just a statue," Rukia said to him.

"I- I know that." He was still giving it nervous looks.

They went to Central Park next. Hanataro jumped back when he saw the horse-drawn carriages by the side of the street. Rangiku said she had gone on one of those a few days ago. It looked inviting. While Linnette patted the horse, Victor talked to the man holding the reigns. Then Victor told them that there would be enough room for all of them inside. Linnette went in first and the others followed. The carriage started moving. It turned in to the park and started going down a long path through the trees. Sitting on the end, Ichigo was able to see everything they passed. He saw people playing chess, chasing each other in the grass, climbing rocks and people just sitting around doing nothing.

There was something familiar about this place but Ichigo just couldn't pin-point it. Then it hit him. Back when he had first met Linnette, she was doing a performance in this very park. Just a short distance away from where they were now was where the stage was set and where the humans started to turn into Hollows. How could he forget? He looked across the carriage at the young girl pointing at different things as they went by and laughing with Rukia. Ichigo grinned. The past was the past. Things had changed for the better. Linnette was doing better now. Everything had worked out.

They had come so far from back then and it really wasn't that long ago. He wondered if things could change for Veneno, too. Linnette was able to move on after a few months, even through all the pain and suffering she had been through for so many years. Years of damage forgotten in a few months. Maybe not forgotten. At least she was able to push it aside and move on from there. Veneno was damaged over the years very much like Linnette, but it didn't break her. Maybe it would work out for Veneno, too, if he was willing to give it a try.

Ichigo mentally slapped himself. This was no time to think about such things. This was his time to relax and forget about it. He could have fun for one afternoon and be a normal teenaged boy.

After a relaxing ride through the park, the group set out on a new adventure. They looked at street art and walked with people dressed in fluffy customs depicting popular cartoon characters. They looked at different stands on the sidewalk and Linnette fed the birds with Hanataro. Ichigo bought himself a new watch and ate the biggest hotdog he had ever seen.

They went to the Wax Museum where the likeness of famous people were sculpted out of wax. They were all life-size and very realistic, standing throughout the museum. Ichigo thought they were a little creepy. The likeness was correct down to the tiniest detail. Even the eyes looked real. The eyes weren't sculpted at all. Ichigo couldn't tell if they were made of glass or some other material, but they looked like real human eyes. Hanataro refused to get anywhere near them. Rukia called Ichigo over, standing in the palm of a life-sized King Kong. She was having a lot of fun with this.

Now late afternoon, it was time to get something to eat. Of course they had to take in some junk food first as long as they were there. They split a funnel cake and a large strawberry and chocolate crape. After that they went on to different venders, buying hamburgers, large pretzels, pulled pork sandwiches and some Mexican dish Ichigo couldn't figure out. He knew it wasn't a taco. Whatever it was, it was good.

There was so much to do in the city. Rukia still expressed an interest in seeing a Broadway show but they didn't have the time to do so. So instead she settled for more sightseeing. This time, Rukia had a different method of doing so: the tram.

It was a shakier route over the East River, but very exciting. Riders got an incredible view from over seventy-meters above the ground. The tram started to cross the river and passengers started clicking away with their cameras. Linnette climbed onto one of the seats to look out the window, Victor standing close by. Ichigo was used to high views when in his Soul Reaper form, but even he was staring open-mouthed out the window at the city slowly moving before his eyes. From far away, New York city looked just as large as it did small. The buildings were tall and seemed to stretch on for miles, making it look enormous. At the same time, the buildings so closely packed together floating on the river made it seem smaller than it really was. Ichigo was surprised that such a contradiction could make perfect sense.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rukia asked, standing close by.

"Yeah."

Rukia grinned, looking out over the water. "This was a good day, wasn't it? I hope the others are having fun, too."

"Knowing that group, Cedric has his work cut out for him. I'd be surprised if he isn't pulling his hair out as we speak."

Rukia giggled. "Either way."

Hanataro gripped the back of the seats as he looked out the window at the water below. They were getting closer to the other side. Linnette called him over to her side of the cabin and pointed. Ichigo and Rukia stayed where they were and watched over their shoulders. They had now entered the city. The skyscrapers passed them by, showing their reflection in the tinted windows. The sky reflected off the buildings and the steel cables caused the passengers to squint. It was an amazing sight. Passing between the buildings in the big city made Ichigo feel small yet comfortable. It was a peaceful ride.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" Ichigo wasn't sure how long Rukia had been speaking to him. Next thing he knew, she was looking up at him.

"What should we do after this?"

"You haven't had enough yet?"

A woman passed behind her causing Rukia to move closer to get out of her way. He felt her thin boots knock lightly against his sneakers. "The city is big and I know there's no way we'll see it all. I was just curious if there was anything you had your heart set on before we head back. It'll be dinner time soon."

Ichigo hadn't thought about what he wanted to do after this. He was feeling pretty tired after this trip into the city. It was a whirlwind of a day. Right now what he really wanted to do was go back to the house and rest.

"I would like to head back soon. Victor probably wants to get Linnette home." That was his excuse. He didn't want to tell Rukia he was feeling tired. She might tease him about it. Besides, he couldn't think of anything else to do.

"Yeah." Rukia let out a deep breath. "This seems like a perfect way to end our trip out. Now we've seen the city up and down."

It was a joke but Ichigo didn't laugh. His mind was somewhere else.

Suddenly the tram jerked and Ichigo lurched forward along with Rukia. Briefly, they clasped hands, both looking to steady themselves. Ichigo turned around and saw people starting to file out of the cabin. Their ride had ended.

"Ok, let's get going." Victor guided Linnette and Hanataro toward the door.

Ichigo started to follow when he realized he was still holding onto Rukia's hand. He quickly let go and avoided her eyes, embarrassed.

While Linnette got a quick snack at a nearby vendor, Rukia looked up and down the street. "Where are we supposed to meet up with the others?"

"It's not too far," said Victor. "We can walk from here."

Linnette came up to them holding something in her hands. She handed Ichigo and Rukia a corn-dog and then gave the last one to Hanataro. Ichigo thanked her and took a bite. It was a little greasy but delicious.

They walked up several blocks to get to their meeting point. It was difficult to keep up in a crowd but somehow they managed to stay together. Though Victor said it wasn't 'too far', Ichigo found himself walking to the next ten blocks. He kept his complaints to himself. Finally they stopped at a wide sidewalk and stood under a lamppost. Linnette spotted something nearby and took off, sticking her hand into her pocket. Ichigo kept an eye on her as she zipped through the crowd and over to another food truck. She came back a minute later with three tall cups with spoons and straws.

Victor shook his head with a weary smile. "Linnette, sweetie... you'll spoil your dinner."

"It's not for me." She handed Ichigo and Rukia two of the cups. The last one she gave to Hanataro.

He looked at it, unsure. "What is it?"

"A root-beer float."

Rukia grinned. "I've had this before. They're good." She started slurping hers happily.

Hanataro sipped through the straw and shut his eyes. "It makes my nose feel funny."

"Must be the bubbles from the soda."

It had been a while since he had a root-beer float. Ichigo was happy to have one in his hands right when he needed it. All that walking had made him thirsty. The ice cream was sweet and creamy which had turned the soda creamy as well. It was delicious.

"There they are! Hi!"

The others had arrived from across the street. Rukia went up to her brother to ask how his outing went. Rangiku went over to Ichigo, seeing the cup in his hands. "It's a root-beer float," he explained.

"Ooh! Sounds fantastic!" She clapped her hands together. "Guess what? I found this ice cream place in the city that makes a sundae made out of gold!"

"No way. I'm sure you're mistaken. Must have been something that looked like it."

"Actually, she's correct," Victor said. "There's a shop in the city that has a special ice cream made with edible gold."

"Really?"

He nodded. "They're very expensive, though. Just one of those sundaes costs $1,000."

"Holy crap! I hope it's worth its weight in gold."

"They wouldn't make one for me, though," Rangiku pouted.

"Maybe you didn't have enough cash."

"You also need to call ahead and make a reservation 48 hours in advance," Victor added.

"That explains it."

Ichigo dipped the plastic spoon into his cup, fishing out the vanilla ice cream. "I bet Byakuya could afford it."

"I don't care for sweets," the Captain said simply. He must have been listening to their entire conversation. "There are nice cafes in this city, however, that I did find enjoyable."

"That's wonderful, brother."

Ichigo looked out the corner of his eye at Cedric. He expected him to look more stressed than he was. Not a hair out of place. "So how was it for you?"

Cedric frowned. "I never get tired... but after escorting them around for the afternoon, I'm exhausted."

Ichigo knew it.

"One wants to go one way, the other wants to go over there. This one wants to go shopping, this one wants to eat, this one wants to find a quiet place, this one wants a little action. This one doesn't want to walk, this one wants to, the other has too much energy. That one doesn't like the food here and prefers the one on the other side of the city. This one has an attitude, this one has a temper, this one whines, this one complains constantly, this one begs and flirts. Everyone screams at each other, there are constant complaints..."

Ichigo knew he shouldn't be laughing, but he couldn't help a few chuckles here and there. He had a feeling this would happen.

"Even with all my abilities, I cannot keep my eye on all of them at once. Even with my speed, I cannot keep up with them. More than once we split up and went different ways."

Rangiku spotted something across the street. "Oh, I have an idea. Why don't we-?"

"No." Cedric had had enough.

"You didn't let me finish."

Ikkaku tapped Cedric on the shoulder with his wooden sword. "Hey, you. I-"

"Ikkaku," Yumichika warned. "The man has a name. You don't want to piss him off, now do you?"

"It's a little late for that," Ichigo muttered seeing the look on Cedric's face.

"What? I'm not bothering him."

"Ok, that's it." Cedric pointed from Ikkaku to Yumichika then to Rangiku and finally at Byakuya. "You, be quiet and stop poking me with that. You, stop complaining. You, no more shopping and I don't care how many buttons you undo. And you, you're the only one who isn't pissing me off."

"So out of all of them, Byakuya's the one not pissing him off? Imagine that." Ichigo finished off the rest of his float and threw the cup away in a trashcan. His hands were freezing so he had to stuff them into his pockets.

The large group headed home the same way they entered the city: in a large van. Cedric headed home by himself, most likely to blow off a little steam after his outing with his half of the group. Linnette was talking a mile a minute with Rangiku, telling each other about their day in the city. Hanataro sat quietly in his seat looking out the window at the passing buildings. Rukia sat beside her brother asking him only a couple of questions and staying quiet the remainder of the time. Byakuya wasn't very talkative, but he did tell her about his afternoon. Leaving out most of the details, Byakuya finished telling her his day in only a couple short minutes. Yumichika and Ikkaku would stay quiet for a few minutes then start talking and more than once Ikkaku leaned over the back of the seat to yell at Rangiku for something.

Ichigo didn't talk to anyone and instead sat in his seat listening to everyone else. He spent the ride back to the house looking out his window. As the ride continued, Ichigo began to notice his head bobbing up and down as he began to nod off. He sat up in his seat, shaking his head. It was a busy day but Ichigo didn't think he was that tired. He tried to stay awake which was difficult to do. The smooth, rhythmic ride back coupled with the white noise around him wasn't helping. Not to mention his full stomach and his tired legs. He didn't feel like moving. His eyes started to droop more. He couldn't fight it off for much longer. The conversations in the van began to quiet and Ichigo found himself picking his head up more often. He finally rested his head on the back of his seat and closed his eyes, giving into the soft darkness.

"Look alive, King!"

"What? What? I'm awake!" Ichigo sprang up opening his eyes as wide as he could.

His white reflection smile back at him, crouching by his feet. "There you are," he said in a mocking tone. "I thought you were gonna sleep forever, Your Majesty. But I knew you couldn't stay away for long."

Ichigo knew at once where he was without having to look at the sideways skyscrapers. He was in his Inner World.

"Something the matter, King?"

He knew his Hollow wasn't really concerned. Even his tone was mocking, not even bothering to fake an interest. "I'm fine. I just had a long day of sightseeing. That's all."

"Those clouds say different." His Hollow pointed up to the sky with his finger. Two dark clouds were rolling in settling among the lighter grey ones. "You're stressing about something and I think I know what that is."

"You don't care. You just want to mock me."

"True. But what happens to you is my concern. We share this body after all. And one day I will take it over and make it my own and I want to make sure nothing happens to it."

Ichigo turned away, wondering where Zangetsu was hiding. He hadn't seen him yet.

"It's about that stupid Arrancar guy, isn't it? No point in hiding it. I know what you're thinking. I am a part of you after all." His Hollow sat cross-legged in front of him. "If that Arrancar continues to bother you, kill him. He's not worth the trouble."

Ichigo glared at him. "He's not a waste of time. I'm trying to help him."

"What's the point if he doesn't want it? He's not willing to take it."

"He's afraid of Soul Reapers and given his past I can't blame him."

"Same sob story I've heard before. Soul Reapers tortured him and blah blah blah. He needs to get over it."

"I'm trying to help him do that," Ichigo argued. "I've been trying to help him move on and show him that they can get along and that things don't have to be like the way they were before."

"And if he goes on a rampage again? I know that's what you're afraid of. Might as well waste him now to avoid the whole thing. There are some people you just can't convince. I'm just saying that it'll save you a lot of problems in the long run. He's not worth all this trouble."

"Don't say that. He's just scared. I know it can be a pain but I'm not giving up on him. I refuse to let things go down the way they did before. He's not worthless. He thinks no one cares but I do. I care what happens to him."

The white doppelganger started clapping his hands, laughing. "Isn't that sweet? King's got himself a boyfriend! Ha!"

"You know that's not it! Far from it! I would stick my neck out for any of my friends and I have. This is no different from the time I risked my life to save Rukia from being executed or when I rescued Orihime."

"No difference except for the gender..."

"I don't care. What's wrong with showing a little compassion for someone else? Man or woman? Who cares?"

"You're wasting your time with this guy," his Hollow growled. "There's no point wasting your time on some guy who's beyond help. He's too far gone. He's a lost cause. Don't bother with him. Trust me. You'll be a lot happier. No one will miss him."

"Here I thought you'd have a little more understanding for a being who's a Hollow just like you."

"I'm better than your average Hollow," he snorted. "He's nothing like me and you know it. What you need to get through your thick skull is the fact that you can't help this guy. He isn't even willing to help himself. He's a waste of your time. Don't bother. It's pointless to try."

Ichigo should have been angrier but a part of him had doubts. Maybe his Hollow was right and Veneno wouldn't change after all. Maybe the past would repeat itself. Anything could push him over the edge. However, Veneno did appear to be trying. He hadn't attacked anyone yet. He seemed to be trying to give Soul Reapers a chance. He even lowered his sword to Ichigo and listened to him. He wasn't a waste of time. Ichigo decided to see it through to the end.

Then a thought occurred to him. If this was really how his Hollow thought...

"What about Linnette?"

His reflection's gold eyes flashed.

"Given her past and the things she had done, why should I give her a chance? In fact, why don't I kill her right now to prevent her from anything she may do in the future? Save everyone a lot of trouble."

Of course he didn't mean it, but he got the reaction he wanted from his Hollow.

"You can't!" he cried, lurching forward. "Don't you dare take her away from me! I won't let you!"

"What makes her different from him? They're essentially the same."

"She's mine! I need her! I..! I..." His Hollow appeared confused. He wasn't doubting himself. He just wasn't sure how he felt. Part of Ichigo wondered if he even knew how to say the word 'love'. Was his Hollow capable of feeling such a thing? He may have been feeling compassion without even realizing it. He truly did care for Linnette.

Ichigo gave him a teasing grin.

"What's with that look?!" he demanded.

"It's nothing." Ichigo sighed, looking at the building hanging over his head. "I don't care what you say. I'm helping him. It's his choice in the end but there's nothing stopping me from helping him reach that answer. I'd sooner given up on him when you give up on Linnette."

The expression on his Hollow's face looked like that of a dog looking up at his master. It wasn't his usual look of insanity or fury. Ichigo was satisfied with that. He was satisfied with a lot at this moment. Linnette wasn't a lost cause and neither was Veneno. No matter what he wouldn't give up on him. If Veneno decided to unleash his wrath upon the Soul Reapers then Ichigo would have to deal with that. Until Veneno made a move, he wouldn't do anything. It was Veneno's choice in the end. Ichigo just hoped he would make the right one.

* * *

Ichigo felt his body being lifted up and moved onto something large and firm, like a muscular shoulder. His eyes snapped open and looked Cedric square in the eye. He was carrying him. From the look of things, Cedric had taken him out of the van and was getting ready to carry him into the house. "What do you think you're doing? Put me down!" The last thing he wanted was to be carried into the house like a small child.

"Sorry. You were asleep and I didn't want to disturb you."

"Put me down now!"

Cedric set Ichigo down in the driveway. Ichigo brushed himself off, feeling embarrassed. He hoped no one had seen him in that position. When he looked back at the van, he saw Rangiku giggling and knew she had seen it.

Everyone started to climb out of the van one by one. Ikkaku, Yumichika and Hanataro got stuck, all trying to get out at the same time. The larger two Soul Reapers shoved Hanataro out of their way and he landed beside the tire. Before he could get up, Ikkaku jumped on his back. Yumichika flattened him next. Linnette hurried out of the van to help him along with Rukia. Rangiku started to scold the two men for stepping on Hanataro while she stood on his hand.

"M- Miss Matsumoto..! Please..! My hand..!"

"Whoops! Sorry about that."

Ichigo stretched, glad to be out of the van. It was a fun day but he was glad it was over. He wanted to rest for a bit. Everyone went into the house, dropping their purchases by the door. Thankfully Rangiku hadn't bought that much; only a few pairs of shoes and some jewelry. Victor decided to hold off on preparing dinner since so many of them had already eaten. Rangiku and Rukia opened their shopping bags to show off their new items. Rukia was very proud of her new rabbit merchandise and didn't try hiding it. Byakuya had bought a few things as well but wasn't showing them off. He kept all of his belongings in a single shopping bag which he placed beside an armchair. Ichigo was a bit curious about what the captain had purchased in the city.

Ichigo went straight to the couch in the den and sat down. Just as his hands grasped the remote, a beeping sound came from the other room. He peered over the arm of the couch to look into the kitchen. Byakuya was clutching something in his hand and started to talk into it. He quickly moved into the next room for a more private conversation. Everyone went about their business until Byakuya returned. He went straight to the den and stood beside the couch, extending something that looked like a cell phone to Ichigo.

"It's for you."

"Me?" Ichigo stood up. "Who is it?"

"Akon from Research and Development."

Ichigo's heart sank. If Akon was calling it couldn't have been good news. He tried to remain calm. "Did he say what it was about?"

"He just said that he needed to speak with you right away. It's a private matter."

Everything had gotten quiet. Everyone was staring at him. Ichigo tried to ignore them and took the device from Byakuya. "Uh... hello?"

"Ichigo! You have to come back right now. Hurry up."

Akon's voice didn't sound panicked but he did sound frustrated. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"It's Veneno."

Ichigo's heart sank again. He knew it.

"He won't come out of his room."

Ichigo's heart felt a little lighter. It wasn't as bad as he thought. At least, it didn't sound too bad. "What do you mean?"

"What does it sound like? I said he won't come out of his room. I can't get him to open the door or anything."

"So? Leave him there. If he doesn't want to come out then let him stay there." Ichigo didn't see any issue with this. He was afraid Veneno had started attacking people again.

"Are you hearing me, Ichigo? I said he won't come out. He can't stay in there. I don't need him causing a scene. I'm not allowed to go to the lab without him. We need him to come out."

Ichigo sighed. It didn't seem to be that bad but Akon seemed to know different. Apparently there was more to this than Akon wanted to say. "Have you tried talking to him? Ask him what's wrong. If you talk to him gently I'm sure he'll-"

"He wants you."

Ichigo was taken aback by this. "What?"

"He keeps asking for you. He won't come out for anyone else. That's why I need you to come here as soon as you can. Maybe you can talk some sense into him."

Veneno wanted him? Ichigo couldn't help feeling a little humbled by this. Veneno had truly connected with Ichigo. He trusted him. The fact that he wouldn't come out for anyone else proved this. However, he needed Veneno to feel the same way for other people and not just him. Now Ichigo felt obligated to come. He would prove to Veneno that he would be there for him and help hm through a difficult situation and not abandon him. He also had to help Veneno feel more comfortable around other Soul Reapers again. He had to make sure Veneno was able to handle this. Knowing that Veneno trusted him made Ichigo feel happy as well as annoyed. This was far from over. Veneno still needed him which meant more running around.

"Alright, alright. I'll be there. Just hang on a minute, ok?"

"Hurry up! I'm not actually supposed to be talking to you right now. Get a move on, Ichigo. Get here quick."

Ichigo handed the device back to Byakuya, sighing. "Akon wants me to-"

"I know. You have to go to the Soul Society." Byakuya put the device away in his jacket. "He made that quite clear. Not to mention your responses."

That's right. Byakuya was standing right beside him listening to half of the conversation.

Ichigo nodded. He took out his badge. "I guess I'll be back soon."

"Wait a minute!" Rukia stood up from the chair in the next room. "What did Akon want? Why do you have to go to the Soul Society? I want to know what's going on."

"It's none of your business," Ichigo told her.

"None of my business? I think-"

"Rukia," Byakuya said firmly. "If Akon wanted to speak with Ichigo privately, it means that it isn't any of our business. He clearly does not wish for us to know what's going on. This is between the two of them. It's best if we all stay out of it. You shouldn't ask questions."

She looked down. "Sorry, brother. You're right," she said in a small voice.

Victor continued peeling apples in the kitchen, listening while his brother watched from the sink. Both were reading the conversation in silence. Within a few moments, they had it all figured out. Rukia clearly idealized her brother which was why her tone changed so rapidly and she became so submissive. She had the utmost respect for him. Meanwhile, Byakuya had told her that it was none of their business and they had no right to interfere. From their point of view, Byakuya was sayign this because he was keeping secrets from the group as well. He didn't want someone to pry into his private business. He seemed to have a mutual understanding for what Ichigo was having to go through at the moment. His matters were kept a secret the same way Ichigo's were. They both had their reasons.

Ichigo left his body on the couch and started to leave. He glanced over at Linnette who was watching him leave with her own eyes. Ichigo had been leaving all week long, only this time she was around to see it. He gave her a sad smile, showing her that he didn't want to leave. He simply had no choice. "Sorry about this. I'll be back soon. I just have to take care of this real quick, ok?"

She nodded. "We had fun today, right?"

They had already spent the day together so Linnette was much more willing to see him leave. He nodded, giving her a bigger grin. They both knew this had to be done.

* * *

At least he had one afternoon of fun. Knew that wouldn't last.

By the way, that bookstore he went to is real. I go there all the time. It's great ^-^ One of my favorite places in the city. There's always something there you can't get anywhere else. Believe me, I spend plenty of money there... which may be why I'm always so poor ^^' Just thought I'd give a little shout out.

Anyways, please review! ^-^


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23:**

When Ichigo arrived at the barracks, he found Akon pacing outside a closed door. When he saw Ichigo, he silently threw his hands up in aggravation and pointed dramatically to the door. Veneno was on the other side. Ichigo quickly ran over and knocked. "Veneno, are you in there? It's me."

"Go away! Leave me alone!" Veneno called from inside.

"It's Ichigo. Come on, let me in."

Akon threw his hands into the air again, as if saying 'see what I have to deal with'. He was running out of patience. He was a few refusals away from breaking the door down and dragging Veneno out by force.

Ichigo knocked again. "It's me. Please let me in."

This time it took a little longer for Veneno to answer. "Ok, fine."

Ichigo slide the door open a crack and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Veneno had pushed the dresser against the door in an attempt to barricade himself inside. Since this was a sliding door, it didn't do the job as intended. Ichigo found Veneno curled up in the far corner of the room pressing his knees to his forehead. Even when Ichigo entered the room he did not look up.

"Thanks for letting me in."

Veneno did not answer.

Ichigo moved closer. Veneno curled into a tighter ball. "Can I come closer?" Ichigo asked, not wanting Veneno to feel threatened in any way. He had to approach him like a frightened animal.

Veneno nodded into his knees, hiding his face.

Ichigo moved closer and sat down. "Sorry I didn't bring any treats for you this time. We can just talk instead. If you want."

The next few minutes passed in silence.

Knowing he had to break the silence, Ichigo spoke again. "Why won't you come out? Akon's worried about you."

"No, he's not! He's just worried about what his boss will do if anything happens to his precious experiment. He doesn't give a damn about me."

Ichigo sighed. "You can't hide from him forever."

"It's not just him. It's all of them."

He nodded. "Ah. You're afraid of the Soul Reapers. That's why you're hiding in here."

"I'm not afraid! I hate them! All of them!"

This was not going to be easy. Not by a long shot. "Listen, Veneno... You can't hide in here forever. You'll need to come out at some point. You've gotta eat."

He pointed to the dresser. "I still have those snacks you brought me."

"They won't last. You'll starve."

"They want me dead anyway! All Soul Reapers are the same. I am an Arrancar after all. But when I die, it won't be by them. I'd rather starve to death than have any one of them take my life. I should get to pick and choose how I want to live and die. What right do they have?"

"So you'd rather throw your life away than live with them? That's stupid. What a waste. I mean, you've been living with Soul Reapers all this time. Do things really have to change?"

"I did!" Veneno snapped, finally lifting his head. "I changed. I changed back to me! How I was meant to be. I'm not living a lie anymore."

Now that his face was no longer covered, Ichigo could see the bags under Veneno's eyes. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Huh?"

"The bags under your eyes. Didn't you sleep last night?"

Veneno pouted, hugging his knees tightly. "How could I knowing they were around? If I close my eyes, who knows what they'll do to me? I have to stay alert."

He was still terrified. He was too scared to sleep knowing the Soul Reapers were nearby. They may attack him in his sleep or drag him away and chain him up and subject him to more painful experimentation. That's what he was afraid of.

"Come on," Ichigo told him. "You slept fine before and nothing happened. Nothing has to change. Does getting your memory back really mean everything has to be different? You were safe before."

Veneno wanted to argue but couldn't. No words came to mind that would prove Ichigo wrong. It would be the same argument all over again. Still, he couldn't find rest. He was too paranoid.

"Listen, if you're having trouble sleeping, there are a few things we can do."

"I don't want anyone to drug me!"

"I didn't mean that. I meant we can try to help you settle. Something that will comfort you so you won't feel so afraid. Like a stuffed animal, or a guard at your door to keep watch and make sure nothing happens to you. Anything like that."

Again, Veneno didn't say anything. Somehow, Ichigo doubted he was giving the idea any thought.

"Either way, you can't stay in here forever."

"Watch me." Veneno couldn't be anymore stubborn.

Ichigo groaned. Just when he wanted to rest after a long day out, he had to travel all the way to the Soul Society to play psychiatrist to a damaged Arrancar. Ichigo sympathized with him that he had been hurt in the past which had left him scarred in more ways than one, but enough was enough. He had to get over it. Or at least try to get along with the Soul Reapers. He didn't have to forgive them or like them, just not do when he had done before.

His Hollow was right. There was little point in helping someone who wouldn't help themselves.

Ichigo started to get up when Veneno grabbed his sleeve. He gave Ichigo a desperate look. "Stay." Ichigo sat back down.

"Ok."

Again their time was spent in silence. Veneno had wedged his back into the far corner as far as he could go. Now that Ichigo was beside him, Veneno had started to come out of his corner. He wasn't gripping his knees so tightly anymore. This was progress. Veneno was more comfortable around Ichigo than anyone else.

"Will you stay?"

Ichigo turned. "Hm?"

"If I leave this room, will you come with me?" He kept his eyes down. "I... I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be alone. Akon will be with you."

Veneno scowled. "He's a Soul Reaper."

"So am I."

"But you're a Hollow, too."

Ichigo couldn't deny that fact. "What I am doesn't define me. It's who I am that matters. I don't choose to be a human or a Hollow or anything. That's just a small part of me." He leaned back against the wall. "I chose to get Soul Reaper powers so I can help the people dear to me but I never chose to be a Soul Reaper. I really don't think it matters. I know Rukia told me that there are things I must do now that I am a Soul Reaper and it's my duty but I told her that I choose what I'm going to do. I'm not going to save someone's life because it's my job. I'll do it because I want to. It's my choice."

Veneno remained quiet.

"And you have a choice, too. Like I said before, you were given an opportunity to try things differently this time around. You don't have to repeat yourself. See how this works for you and pick what you want."

Veneno gripped his hakama tightly. "I... I don't want to be scared anymore..."

Ichigo smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You don't have to. You don't have to be alone, either. You have me. And if you want, you can have more. You can make more friends. People who will care about you and people you'll care about in return."

Such a thing seemed impossible to Veneno, but it was a dream of his. He had been wishing for it for such a long time. Could he really obtain something like that?

He was willing to give it a try.

Veneno stretched his legs out on the floor allowing his body to unfold into a more vulnerable position. He turned to Ichigo and nodded. "Ok."

"Ok?"

He nodded again. "Ok."

Ichigo grinned and stood up.

Veneno quickly grabbed his sleeve again. "But you are coming with me. Right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'll come, too."

Ichigo moved the dresser aside and slide the door open. Akon stopped pacing outside and stood waiting for them. He breathed a sigh of relief when Veneno stepped out of the room and closed the door. Akon led them towards the lab. Veneno looked over his shoulder, watching his sanctuary slip further and further away.

Outside, the sun was bright making their eyes sting. It must have been morning in the Soul Society. At first Veneno seemed to be doing just fine. As soon as they started to pass by a few Soul Reapers, then Veneno slipped right back into his old pattern. It was the same as before, Ichigo observed. As soon as they started to pass people, Veneno would clam up and become moody. He would move closer and closer until their shoulders touched. When someone got too close or if someone was being loud, Veneno would grab Ichigo's kimono and not let go. He clung to Ichigo every step of the way. Only when no Soul Reaper was in sight would Veneno begin to relax and breathe calmly.

Even in the lab there was little change in his behavior. Soul Reapers squeezed passed them in the cluttered halls with carts and papers. Veneno griped Ichigo's back tightly, his face looking pained. He was now walking behind Ichigo, using him as a shield. It was difficult to walk like this but Ichigo didn't say anything about it.

They passed an open door on the left. Inside the small room were several Soul Reapers in white lab coats huddled around something in a steel box. One of the men pulled out a large needle and stuck it into whatever was in the box. The box began to rattle and the other men in the room had to hold it down. Veneno hid his face in Ichigo's back. Seeing such a sight brought back terrible memories. Every time he peeked, he saw more people with needles and knives and hammers and numerous other tools, all of which looked painful. Veneno hid again in Ichigo's back.

"Say something."

"Hm?" Ichigo looked over his shoulder.

Veneno kept his face hidden. "Just say something, please!" He must have needed something to help distract him from all that was happening around him so he turned to Ichigo for help. Ichigo spoke to him calmly, making small talk. He asked Veneno questions and told him about his day in the city. Veneno seemed less pained and his grip loosened.

Akon stopped in front of a room and held the door open. "In here."

They began with simple tasks like cleaning off the tabletops and sweeping the floors. Then Akon needed Veneno's help fixing a machine. He needed his strength to turn bolts and hold heavy parts up while Akon reached between them to get at the wires. Veneno was reluctant to do it but agreed to help as long as Ichigo was nearby.

This went on for two hours. Ichigo was getting tired of standing around while the others worked. He wanted to leave. But his presence helped put Veneno at ease so he was needed. He offered to help but Akon told him he shouldn't be touching the equipment. So he watched Veneno from where he stood. Over time, Veneno seemed to get a little more comfortable and was more willing to come closer to Akon. However, when Ichigo moved, Veneno would stop everything and watch him with pleading eye. He didn't want him to leave.

When it was time to break for lunch, Ichigo started to head out the door. Veneno rushed to his side immediately. "It's late for me. I have to get back. I told them I would only be gone a minute."

Veneno didn't say anything but his eyes kept shifting from side to side, looking at Akon and then elsewhere.

"Akon's been with you longer than I have. You know he's not going to try anything."

"But..." Veneno tensed up as Akon approached them.

"Want to get something to eat? I'm starving."

Veneno's stomach answered for him. He was very hungry.

"I'll come with you, but only for a minute." Ichigo had to put his foot down at some point.

It was a nice day outside so many Soul Reapers decided to eat their lunches in courtyards or rooftops or wherever else the sun could find them. Ichigo tried to distract Veneno again by asking him what he wanted to eat. A group of female Soul Reapers approached them smiling.

"Afternoon, Akon! How are you?"

"Fine. Just getting something to eat."

"What luck! Here you go!" One of the women handed Akon a boxed lunch. "Lieutenant Hisagi made them for the women but we had some left over."

"Oh, he made them, huh? Thanks."

Another woman offered one to Veneno. "You're hungry, too, aren't you? Here, take it. This one's yours."

Veneno didn't move. Ichigo had to give him a little push. He stared at the box as if it were about to explode.

"Go on, take it. It's yours."

Veneno slowly held up his hands and the woman placed the lunch box onto his open palms. Veneno's arms gave a little under its weight but kept a solid hold on it. The woman smiled.

Rendered mute, Ichigo had to thank the woman for him. "No problem," she said. "Sorry we didn't have one for you."

"That's fine. I'm not hungry anyway."

The women left. Akon showed Veneno over to a bench and they sat down to eat. "You'll like it. I hear Hisagi's a really good cook. He mostly makes meals for the women but sometimes guys get lucky and get the leftovers. Or if we request he makes something for us. He's a nice guy. He'll pretty much do what you tell him." Akon opened his bento and started eating. "I was right. It's good. Go ahead. Dig in."

Veneno opened the box slowly and looked inside. Meat and vegetables. He didn't like green food so he had a feeling he wasn't going to enjoy this. He picked at the rice and meat, ignoring the leafy greens. The meat was cooked just to his liking and had a lot of flavor. The rice was still warm.

"You don't have to be afraid of me," said Akon. "I know that's why you're acting like this."

"Who said I was scared? I hate Soul Reapers, that's all. You're a Soul Reaper."

Akon sighed. "You were fine with me before."

"That was before I came to my senses. I didn't know any better back then. I had no choice."

Akon lowered his chopsticks. "I haven't done anything before. Don't you think if I were going to try anything I would have done it by now? When you were most vulnerable?"

Veneno frowned harder. "I'm just your experiment. That's all I am to you. Something to be studied. If I don't work out the way you want, you destroy me and start over. Isn't that how it works? Now that I have my memory back, isn't that enough of a reason to get rid of me? I might infect you guys again."

Akon shrugged. "I haven't been ordered to do anything like that to you yet."

"Just doing what your boss says," Veneno scoffed. "I knew you didn't care."

Akon kept eating. When he was almost finished, he lowered his chopsticks again. "You know... it isn't easy being a part of Squad 12. Not by a long shot."

"Because your Captain's creepy as hell?"

"Well, there's that. But I meant what we do. I'm used to building gigais and things like that. They're not real, but when you create something it's hard not to get somewhat attached. If someone breaks it, I get pissed. All that hard work... When something works it makes me feel accomplished. But there's a fine line. You never get attached to an experiment. No matter what it is. If it's not the way you want it, throw it out and start again. It's foolish to get attached to something. I make hundreds of gigais and I don't grow attached to any of them. I know they're just things. Experiments are the same way. I design something and build it and give it to the person who ordered it. I'm proud that I created it but I'm not attached to it. I'm pissed if someone breaks it but I figure it's ok because I can always make another one."

"So what?" Veneno asked, sounding annoyed.

"So I never cater to the device. I never get attached to it and I don't really care about it one way or another. Part of an experiment is to see what works and what doesn't. What will happen. We can't tamper with it or effect the outcome. You care but you don't care. You have to remain indifferent and never develop feelings for it." Akon looked up. "With you, it's different. You I do give a damn about and it's not because I'm afraid of what the Captain would do to me. I care about your outcome. I'm not indifferent when it comes to you. You're not like other experiments. But because all experiments are the same in that you cannot care about them either way, then that must mean you're not an experiment."

Veneno's face softened.

"You're a person. I can't see you as an experiment, no matter how hard I try. And believe me, I've been trying. I didn't want to get attached in any way. I didn't want to care, but I do."

Veneno looked down. "You... care about me?" That couldn't be right. Veneno frowned again. "Y- you only care because your Captain will beat the crap out of you if anything happens to me." He wouldn't be tricked. Akon wasn't really concerned about him.

"Funny, because according to the Captain, I wasn't supposed to let you out of that lab."

"No, no. You got me that room because Ichigo-"

"I'm talking about before Ichigo discovered you. When you had wandered out on your own when I went to get lunch. You said that you wanted to go back. I knew I wasn't supposed to let you, but I did anyway. I got permission because you asked."

This was a surprising answer. "You did it to make me happy?"

"I guess so." Akon started eating again.

Veneno looked down at the last remaining grains of rice at the bottom of his lunch box. Maybe Akon did care about him after all. He would need a little more convincing but for now Veneno was satisfied with that answer. Believing that someone truly cared about him without having an ulterior motive made him feel happy.

He turned to look at Ichigo but couldn't find him anywhere. Sometime during the conversation Ichigo had left. Veneno's heart started racing. He was left alone with the Soul Reapers. Out in the open with no place to hide. He didn't feel betrayed. Ichigo said he would only be with him for a minute. Akon had called Ichigo to him before so he could probably do it again. Still Veneno didn't want to be left alone with so many Soul Reapers around. It triggered the flight or fight response in him. He could either run and hide from them, avoiding them as best he could, or he could take his sword and start stabbing them to eliminate the threat. But there seemed to be a third option: remain quiet. As long as he did nothing, he should be ok. Just go along for the ride.

Even though Ichigo told him nothing had to change, Veneno thought different. With his memories returned, he remembered everything the Soul Reapers had done to him which made it difficult to trust them. Even if he was able to do it before, the hatred he felt kept interfering making it that much harder to find a way to get along with them again. He knew he couldn't forget.

Ichigo wasn't asking him to forget. Just to move on and try again doing things differently this time around. Still, it was easier said than done.

* * *

After eating, it was right back to work. Veneno helped Akon deliver files to the different departments and floors. Veneno's white-knuckle grip on the metal cart had drawn attention from the other researchers. He overheard several Soul Reapers asking Akon if he was doing alright, showing concern for him. Some even asked Akon if he could get some time off to rest. Akon insisted everything was fine and continued to deliver the files.

Veneno touched the tip of his mask fragment still hidden beneath his brown hair. As far as any of them knew, he was a Soul Reaper just like them. This was the only thing setting him apart from the rest of them. The fragment and hole in his chest. He wasn't one of them and yet they treated him as if he were. If they knew the truth, would that all change? There was no change in Akon, but he knew he wasn't a Soul Reaper from the very beginning. What about the rest of them?

After the filing was taken care of and the deliveries were dropped off, Akon took Veneno to one of the lower floors. They had to do a little organization among other tasks. The next few hours were spent looking over different files, making sure the containers in the supply closet were filled and a lot of reading.

Now that Veneno had his memory back, the lab gave him mixed feelings. He hated being down here because of his past but at the same time it felt like a second home to him. It was an awkward time spent with very little conversation.

Unable to stand the silence any longer, Veneno turned to Akon. "So... What's going to happen to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is your Captain going to get rid of me? Am I a failed experiment? What's going to happen?"

"I can't say. But I doubt the Captain will do anything to hurt you... Er, kill you." Many of the things Mayuri did to people, experiment or not, were quite painful. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Veneno looked at the pile of papers on the table. "Am I just data to you? Them? I don't understand."

It was too difficult to concentrate with Veneno's constant questions. Akon had to put the work on hold while he answered him. "I told you before, I don't see you as an experiment."

"But what about them? I'm an Arrancar. They don't know that. What will happen to me when they find you?"

"Hard to say. You haven't done anything to hurt us so probably nothing." Akon could see the Soul Reaper shunning him and maybe behave the same way Veneno was acting now. But he was certain the other Soul Reapers wouldn't try to kill him unless he showed himself to be a threat. He didn't attack them, they wouldn't attack him. Still, Akon couldn't guarantee anything.

Veneno didn't appear very comforted by those words. He still looked nervous.

"You'd be surprised. Things aren't as black and white as we thought. Fighting alongside Arrancars, being betrayed by Soul Reapers and battling them. Nothing's set in stone. No one knows who we can trust. Maybe that's a good thing. Now we have to think. So you never know. Since you've been a friend to us so far, memories or no memories, things don't have to change. We can judge based on who you are and not what you are. Just because someone's a Soul Reaper doesn't mean they're good. Same goes for Arrancars. I know it's a lot to think about but it's not worth worrying about."

Veneno pushed the pen across the table with his finger, rolling it unevenly over the papers. "Ichigo said I don't have to be lonely anymore. Then why to I still feel alone?"

"Because you think you need someone like you around. Take a look around the department. No one here looks alike. I have three horns on my head. I'm different from everyone. No one is exactly like you so of course you're going to feel lonely. You're going to keep feeling lonely unless you change the way you think. No one is exactly like someone else. Everyone is different. It'll be a waste of time to hold out for someone like that. You'll never find them. So far you've found people who like you just the way you are. Go with that."

"But I'm not the way I was. I remember things now. I'm different."

"The only thing different is the fact that you remember your past. I know your past effects who you are today, but frankly you are not that different. I still like you. And you have Ichigo, too. He's done nothing but help you all this time. He might even get in trouble for it. Me, too, for that matter. Shows just how much we care about you."

Veneno stopped rolling the pen. His mouth formed a straight line across his face. It was almost a smile. Knowing people cared about him made him feel happy. He thought he only had Ichigo who could relate to him because of his Hollow powers. Maybe he had more people than he thought. People who weren't that different after all.

Akon picked up the pen and made a note on one of the papers. "Damn people don't know how to file worth..." He muttered to himself as he organized all the papers. He started to pile up some papers in the corner and made smaller piles closer to where he was. He made notes on the papers and in a notebook off to the side. He checked off all the parts they had on hand for building and wrote down the parts different researchers needed for different projects. This was going to take a while. Akon didn't mind the quiet but that just made this work even more boring. He was almost hoping Veneno would start talking again.

Veneno's body slumped over, his head resting on Akon's shoulder. He turned. Veneno's body was relaxed and quiet. Akon looked at Veneno's closed eyes. He had finally fallen asleep.

* * *

I guess he feels safe with Akon. Ironically, it can also be argued that he's fine with labs, too.

Please review ^-^


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

Two days passed without incident. No one attempted to abduct and Ichigo's Hollow remained quiet. Things seemed to be going very well. But only in that regard. Without any conflict the Soul Reapers soon became bored and wanted to pass the time quickly. Rangiku still wanted to spend time in the city but she was running low on funds and couldn't buy as much as she wanted anymore. Rukia was satisfied with their outing and didn't have a desire to see anymore of the city for the time being. She and Hanataro had both grown restless and offered to help out around the house in order to keep themselves busy. Byakuya passed the time reading in Victor's study. It wasn't uncommon for no one to see him for hours at a time, coming out only for meals or to rest his eyes and stretch his legs. Ikkaku and Yumichika were the most restless. Desperate, they started sparing in the backyard with long sticks they tore off the trees.

Ikkaku's desire for combat went unsatisfied. Even with their wooden stick swords, there was no substitute for the real thing. He wanted a battle. It had been so long since his Zanpakuto had tasted fresh blood and its master was just as parched.

"I can't take anymore of this!" Ikkaku paced the living room, unable to keep still. "There's nothing to do! We've been here too long! I'm bored stiff! I need to do something!"

"Other than tear apart the backyard with your swordplay?" muttered Cedric. As the main landscaper of the house, Cedric had to make sure the yard was kept in excellent condition. After sparing in the yard for hours, the Soul Reapers left it covered in large holes, broken branches and dirt skid-marks. The yard was completely torn up by the end of it and neither one of them bothered to clean up after themselves.

"When are we going back to the Soul Society?"

"It's not up to us," said Rukia from the couch. "It's my brother's decision. He's the Captain."

"His call, huh?" Ikkaku turned around and went straight to the study. "Captain Kuchiki? A moment?"

Byakuya looked up from the book in his lap. "Yes?"

"How much longer are we going to be here?" he asked. "With all due respect, we're sick of it and want to return to the Soul Society. I'm aware that this is a mission, but nothing has happened."

"He's right." Yumichika pressed his shoulder against Ikkaku's, trying to squeeze into the room. "We haven't seen a single Hollow during all this time. We were told that we should be on the look-out for one but we haven't so much as sensed one. Besides, if I'm understanding this correctly, it was the Arrancar that was responsible for what was happening to all of us."

"Us?" Ikkaku looked at him.

"You know what I mean. We were going after Ichigo. We haven't done that in days. Which must mean that the danger is no longer present."

"What do you mean?" asked Ikkaku.

"Think about it. Ichigo informed us that the Arrancar that turned us all into Hollow Reapers before is still alive. Obviously he's bewitched us into attacking Ichigo. The fact that we're no longer doing that must mean that he's no longer a threat. Maybe he's dead."

"No way. Ichigo also said that the Arrancar was living in the Soul Society. If he was killed, that must mean that the other Soul Reapers became aware of him and took him out. We would have gotten word if that happened. The fact that we didn't means that he's still alive and kicking. Maybe the reason why you guys haven't gone after Ichigo is because the Arrancar's hanging low. Either that or he's no longer in power. I doubt he's dead."

Rangiku stuck her head into the room. "So we're positive the Arrancar was responsible for all this? Then why would we be sent here to look for a Hollow if the Arrancar was there the whole time?"

"Are you that dense?" Ikkaku growled. "Obviously they didn't know the Arrancar was there. I mean, we didn't even know about it. Clearly, they've mistakenly sent us to the wrong place, thinking the danger was here. None of this started happening until that Arrancar came along so this has got to be his doing."

"So why are we still here? We should go back to the Soul Society."

"That's what we've been trying to say, woman!"

Byakuya sighed, setting the book in his hands on the small pile on the desk. It was clear that Victor had been true to his word and did not tell the others the truth of why they were here. They were mainly here for Ichigo. Since Ichigo hadn't been changing into his Hollow recently and no one had attempted to go after him, maybe it was safe for them to return to the Soul Society. Byakuya had been bored for some time himself. It was time to go home. He stood up. "Very well. Give me one moment."

Ikkaku and Yumichika parted allowing Byakuya room to pass. He went straight toward the stairs going up to the second level of the house. He hadn't heard a peep from the girl or the man in the white suit for some time. He wondered if they were home. He went to the playroom and opened the door. Inside were the two he had been wondering about. Linnette was sitting at a small round table taking notes while Victor sat beside her with an open book. They looked up at the same time when Byakuya entered without knocking. He wasn't aware anyone was inside.

Victor gave him a small grin. "Was there something you needed? Cedric should be around."

"Actually, I was in need of this room." Byakuya gestured to the back wall with his chin. Mounted on the wall was a device which looked very similar to a large screen TV with thick purple wires attached to the wall like an octopus monster. It was the same device Hitsugaya and Rangiku had set up in Orihime's apartment in order to speak to the Head Captain.

Victor looked at the large screen and back at Byakuya. "Right this moment?"

"Preferably. This is important."

The suited man gave a patient smile and looked at the girl at his side. "Let's move into your room and give him a few minutes, ok, sweetie?"

Linnette nodded and gathered her notebook and pencil. She hurried out the room passing Byakuya with a quick smile and into her room down the hall. Victor followed slower, bookmarking his place with his finger in the large textbook under his arm. He caught Byakuya staring at it.

"We home-school Linnette. This is the time of day we do her lessons. I'm sure you have a building where you come from that teaches people how to become Soul Reapers. It's the same thing, only instead of going to a building, your lessons are in your own home and there is no need for you to travel and be with other students."

"I never asked you to explain that."

Victor smiled. "You didn't have to. I could tell by your stare that you were wondering what we were doing in here."

"That is none of my concern."

"No... But you are curious."

Byakuya didn't say anything further and went into the room, closing the door. He was tempted to ask why Linnette was home-schooled, but thought he had it figured out. From what he had heard, Linnette had a disability and could not read. He was also aware that Linnette had been bullied for much of her life. Putting these together gave him the answer: She was home-schooled to receive the attention and help that she needed without having to put up with the harassment of her peers.

Their lesson continued in the bedroom. Linnette wrote the sentence Victor read out loud. She showed him the notebook. "How's this?"

Victor checked her work. "Very good. However..." He pointed at her paper. "Switch these two letters around in this word and take off the 'e' in that one and there's one less 't' in the word 'title'."

Linnette looked down at the word 'tittle' and started to erase the one of the Ts. She corrected the other errors and showed him the paper again. "Better?"

He looked it over and smiled. "Perfect." He patted her head and rubbed her shoulder, pulling her closer to his chest. "Let's see what's next..."

Their lesson was put on hold as loud footsteps came bounding up the stairs and into the hall. Then there were voices, all blending together.

"Well?"

"What did you find out?"

"What did they say?"

"Are we going home or what?"

"What did they tell you?"

"Everyone calm down."

"I'm so freaking bored! Let's get the hell out of here already."

"Did they say anything about the Hollow situation?"

"I can't stand being here any longer!"

"What did they say?"

"What happened?"

"What did they say?"

"Tell us, Captain."

"Everyone, lower your voices," came Cedric's voice. "Linnette is in the middle of a lesson. If you're going to discuss this, do it down stairs."

Victor stood up from the bed. There was no way for them to continue the lesson with all these distractions. He opened the door and stuck his head out into the hall. "What is going on?"

Everyone was piled into the hallway surrounding the Captain. Cedric had picked both Rangiku and Ikkaku off the ground, as the loudest people, and was starting to carry them down the stairs.

Byakuya chose to use this moment to settle things once and for all. "I've just spoken with the Head Captain. Provided there are no more incidences, we are free to return home."

"Now?" Asked Ikkaku, holding onto the handrail.

"In 24 hours."

"What?!"

"We have to be certain that everything is under control. If nothing else happens in the next 24 hours, we may return to the Soul Society this time tomorrow."

Yumichika and Ikkaku started to grumble and Rangiku started to whine.

"It's not asking that much!" piped up Rukia. "It's a precaution. You guys can wait one more day, can't you?"

"I'm bored out of my mind! Damn, if I don't kill something soon..!"

Cedric held Ikkaku tighter. "Then you are more than welcome to practice on me. I cannot die so I should be a good sparring partner for you." This settled Ikkaku a little bit. This should give him a challenge and a good way to pass the time.

* * *

Time seemed to pass much faster now that Ikkaku had a durable sparring partner. No matter how many times he cut Cedric, he would not bleed and gave him a good challenge. Still, Ikkaku voiced frequently that he wanted to return home, but at least he had a smile on his face. Yumichika even joined in, claiming he didn't want to get rusty.

The topics they had brought up before had Ichigo wondering about a few things. They were cured in the sense that they wouldn't come after him anymore. But what did that have to do with his Hollow appearing? How were they linked? While everyone was distracted, this seemed like a good time to go visit Akon again. He could ask him these questions and check up on Veneno at the same time.

* * *

Not much had changed in the past few days. However, there were big changes in Veneno compared to a few days ago. He seemed to be able to pass Soul Reapers by without being too wary of them. He would still look their way when they passed but he no longer hid behind someone when he did so. He was also able to hold a conversation with Akon without keeping his distance and was able to say 'hello' to anyone who greeted him. He was still uncomfortable being around them but he had come a long way from how he was before.

He brightened up when he saw Ichigo and came over to greet him. Before he had the chance, someone intercepted him and put him in a headlock.

"Venny!" a large man from Squad 11 laughed. "Where have you been, buddy? Haven't seen you in days!"

Veneno pushed against his arm with both hands. "I've been in the lab. Get off."

The man started to vigorously rub Veneno's head with his knuckles causing him to yelp and whimper, pushing harder against his grip. "Not good enough! We miss you, Veneno. You should come back and spar with us!"

Akon and Ichigo grew tense, praying the man wouldn't uncover Veneno's mask fragment.

"Hey, Akon! Quit keeping this guy all to yourself! Let him have a little fun with the real men! Don't want him turning into some freak-show like you!"

Veneno pushed harder. "Ok, ok! Now let me go!"

"Nah, that's not good enough!" The man squeezed him harder. "Say you'll come spar with us!"

"Yes, ok! Now get off!"

He squeezed harder. Veneno's face was turning red and it was getting harder for him to breathe. "Say you'll spar with us and I'll let you go." The man took this whole thing as a joke. He didn't realize he was really upsetting Veneno. The headlock was getting even more painful.

"I said..!" Veneno kicked the man's kneecap, forcing him to kneel. When he did, Veneno brought his leg up and kicked him in the back of the head. "Get off me!" Now free, Veneno started to draw his sword.

"No!" Akon and Ichigo screamed at once.

Veneno swung and the man blocked with his own sword. Their swords clanged together making their arms vibrate.

The man started laughing, putting his sword away. Veneno stood stunned while Ichigo and Akon looked on, holding their breath. The man patted Veneno on the shoulder, still laughing. "You are good, man, let me tell you! Awesome move! Great!"

Veneno blinked.

"Word of advice, though... careful not to pull that thing out too much. Could get you in trouble. I think it's a dumb rule, but hey." He slapped him hard on the back. "Still, great move you pulled back there. Great job. Love that!"

Veneno blinked again, lowering his sword. He wasn't in danger? The Soul Reaper wasn't a threat to him? He liked him? He approved? He wasn't in trouble? Veneno gave a weak chuckle and sheathed his sword.

"Sparing. You and me! I'll run you into the ground!"

Veneno's chuckle grew stronger. "No way! I'll murder you!"

"Ha ha! You always do! Got some serious skills. Hey, I'll catch you later!" The man walked backwards as he spoke. When Veneno waved to him, he turned around and jogged into another street. Veneno was left with a smile on his face and a warm feeling in his chest.

Ichigo and Akon breathed sighs of relief. They thought for a moment something terrible was about to happen. They were pleasantly surprised.

Veneno went back to greet Ichigo, still smiling. He kept his eyes down as he spoke, playing back what he had just heard in his mind. "He... approves... He wasn't mad at me. He likes me."

"Yeah, but not all the Squads will react that way. It's just Squad 11 that's messed up. Normally pulling a sword on someone..." Akon stopped seeing the happiness in Veneno's eyes. Acceptance and recognition for his skills. Even hearing that the Squad members missed having him around brought Veneno such joy. He finally had a sense of belonging.

"Say, Akon..." Veneno looked up, still wearing that smile. "Is it ok if I go to the training hall real quick for a spar?"

Akon couldn't deny his request. "Sure. It'll shut them up so maybe they won't tackle you again."

Veneno went to the training hall and started to spar with anyone who wanted to take him on. Veneno could fight to his heart's content and let out some aggression while Ichigo and Akon watched from outside.

"He seems pretty happy," said Ichigo. "He seems to be doing a lot better."

"He is. But he still has a few issues to work out. Maybe taking it out on them is the way to go. They can take it. I'm pretty sure he's using them as his punching bags, blowing off some stream. Better them than me. But you're right, he is doing a lot better. This is also good for him because he needs to get more comfortable around Soul Reapers. He's still kind of... there's mistrust, let's say that."

"Understandable." Ichigo changed the subject. "Listen, I have something to ask."

"What is it?"

"It's about what you told me before. When you mentioned that the others were reacting to Veneno's subconscious and came after me."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well... My Hollow had been showing up at random around the same time they started to act strange. I was wondering if there was a link. I was never a Hollow Reapers so..."

Akon gave it some thought. "I can't really say. Sounds to me like you were infected in some way. But you were never a Hollow Reaper... Hm... You must have been linked to him in some way."

"Is it because of my Hollow?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it. You had to be linked to him in some other way. If you were never a Hollow Reaper, then I suppose you would have had to come into contact with his DNA in some way. That would link you. Anything like that jump out at you?"

"Contact with his DNA..?" Ichigo thought back. Nothing jumped out at him at first. They sparred, he never became a Hollow Reaper. At the end of their fight... "Oh, wait. Before he died, I had stabbed him and I tried to stop the bleeding. I covered the wound with my hand. I think I cut my hand or something. I can't really remember. But I covered the wound with my hands to keep him from bleeding out."

"Oh, that's what you did..!" Akon shook his head, groaning. "No wonder. You came in contact with his blood. That must have caused the link between you two. That's why your Hollow was taking over at random. It's his blood."

"Really? That caused the link?"

"It's the only thing I can come up with."

It was guess work, but it was better than nothing. At least now he had an explanation. "So since Veneno's back to normal again, it's the same for me as it is for the others?"

"You mean in the sense that they won't come after you and your Hollow won't take over at random anymore? I should say so."

That was a relief.

Everyone inside the building burst out in cries and laughter. They peered inside and noticed that Veneno had struck one of the wooden swords so hard it split in half.

After unleashing his rage in a few friendly matches, Veneno and the other men started to file out of the dojo. They gave him slaps on the back and ruffled his hair as they passed and paid him compliments. Veneno was beaming. He even playfully punched them back. The Squad members went one way while Veneno went the other to reunite with Akon and Ichigo.

"Have fun?" asked Akon.

He nodded. "Yup. That felt great. Did you see how I broke that sword in half? That was awesome! You see their reaction? It was great. I always have fun sparring with them."

"Good way to let out your aggression."

Veneno's smile faded slightly, having not considered that. He did feel a lot better after those matches but he wasn't aware why that was. It wasn't important to him. He didn't need to know the answer. All he knew was that it was fun and he enjoyed himself.

Akon looked around, noticing the sun's position. "We should head to the lab. We still have work to do. I'm not going to be chewed out because I wasn't there."

"Chill, we'll get there," said Veneno. He must have been in a better mood. He seemed more nonchalant than before, much like he was normally. This reassured Ichigo that Veneno was feeling more comfortable.

To appease Akon, they headed back to the lab as soon as possible, taking shortcuts along the way. They arrived just outside the building and were about to head inside when something caught Akon's eye. He turned to the right of the building and hurried over to a pile of wooden. "Damn it!"

"What? What's wrong?"

Akon pointed to the wood. They were smashed crates filled with glass and strange fabric and plants Ichigo had never seen before. "We were running low on certain supplies and put out an order a week ago. Squad 4 collects some of the herbs and stuff for us and other departments help us out as well. Some of these things you just can't get in the Seireitei so we have to place an order and have people get it for us. Sometimes we have to leave and go searching for it ourselves in the different districts outside of the Seireitei and sometimes they sell them in towns." Akon kicked the broken crate. "We've been waiting for these and now look. Ruined. This'll set us back another week. Damn it, we needed most of this stuff now!"

"Can't you salvage anything from here?" Ichigo asked.

Akon glared at him. "You really think I can salvage any of this?" Akon held up a broken piece of glass. "Some of this stuff was liquid and now they're all mixed together and everything's contaminated. We can't work with any of this! Everything's on hold. We can't continue until we have everything."

"Can't you guys just do what you can with what you have? Wait, I guess you can't do that..."

"To make matters worse," Akon continued, "Now some of our experiments are no good. We'll have to throw them out and start over."

"Why? Can't you just save them for later? I mean, you waited this long."

Akon groaned. "You don't get it, Ichigo. A lot of what we do is something where time is of the essence. We need to add certain things and do certain things at certain times. I mean, you wouldn't take a piece of meat off a grill when it's still pink in the middle and you wouldn't leave it on there for days until it gets burned and turns to charcoal. It's the same thing here. Some of our work is only supposed to stay at a certain temperature for a certain number of hours then we have to move it to a different location and add something to it. Without this stuff, it'll be sitting there for a week and that changes the outcome. We can't do that. Why do you think I'm so pissed off?"

"Sorry..." Ichigo muttered.

Akon turned back to the pile by the side of the building. "What I want to know is how this happened? It didn't get smashed by itself. I hope it wasn't some people trying to be funny 'cause I'm not laughing." Akon held up a piece of wood from the crate. "It was heavy... Maybe someone jumped on it? No, not that..."

"Guys?"

"What?" Ichigo and Akon turned to Veneno. He was pointing to something on the other side of the building.

"I think I found what did this."

They turned and saw a large lizard-like creature wearing a white mask.

"Hollow!" Ichigo drew his sword.

Akon tripped over the broken crate as he stumbled back in shock. "That... That's not possible..! I didn't even sense it! I couldn't detect any Spiritual Pressure at all. I still can't."

The Hollow roared and lunged at them. The trio jumped back. "Well, it's pretty real to me." Ichigo quickly flashed to the side and then straight up, cutting the Hollow down the middle. His sword sliced cleanly through the Hollow's body but caused no damage. "What the hell?" The Hollow stomped the ground at Ichigo's feet and sent him flying.

Akon pitched in to help. He held out his hand aiming his palm at the Hollow's ribs. "Hado 31, Shakkaho!" The red blast made direct contact, but once again proved ineffective. The Hollow wasn't injured. The attack didn't leave even the smallest mark on its flesh. "What the hell? That should have done something."

All it did was focused the Hollow's attention on him, making him the new target. Veneno grabbed the back of Akon's lab coat and pulled him away just in time. Akon tried a different attack this time, hoping for different results.

"Hado 33, Sokatsui!"

Another direct hit but another failure. Kido was ineffective against this Hollow.

"I don't understand. How could it be immune to kido? This is crazy. And I still can't sense any Spiritual Pressure coming from him. But I know that thing is real. It's no image."

The Hollow came after Akon again. Veneno picked him up by his coat again and pulled him away and over to one of the walls surrounding the area. The Hollow changed direction and charged at them like an angry bull. In order to protect himself as well as Akon, Veneno drew his weapon and leapt forward. He slashed the Hollow's shoulder with the tip of his blade, drawing blood. The Hollow shrieked and scrambled back.

"You got him?" Ichigo hurried over.

The Hollow wasn't dead yet, merely injured. It took a few swings at Veneno and then went after Ichigo. He tried to slice the Hollow the same way he had seen Veneno but his sword was useless. No matter what, it wouldn't cut.

"What the hell is going on? I know I'm hitting it..." Ichigo jumped aside as the Hollow took another swipe at him. It missed and took a chunk out of the building.

"Hey!" Akon called from the sidelines. "Lure it away from the lab! Get it away from there and out into the open!"

He was right. In the open they would have more room to fight and wouldn't have to worry about injuring anyone in the process or having the building collapse on the people inside. Ichigo tried to lure it away, making himself the target. As soon as they left the area, more Soul Reapers had arrived hearing the commotion and offered their help. Calling out the names of their Zanpakuto, they threw themselves into battle. Their swords proved to be just as useless. They couldn't inflect any damage on the Hollow either.

Enraged by their assault, the Hollow threw them all into the air with its arm, screeching in anger. The Soul Reapers flew back landing in different streets. Akon kept trying different kido but nothing was working. As the Hollow took aim at him again, Veneno grabbed him and dragged him away from the battle. "Stay here," he told him.

Akon grabbed Veneno's arm. "Are you insane? What if someone sees you and discovers the truth?"

"I don't care about that! I can't let that Hollow rampage here. It took a swipe at me, too. I can't just let that go."

"What if you get hurt?" Akon demanded.

Veneno paused, letting his words soak in. Akon was worried he would be injured in battle. Veneno brushed it off and grinned like his usual self. "Don't worry about me. You're the one who's likely to get hurt."

"What was that?"

"No offense, Akon, but you're pretty useless in this fight."

Veneno had a point and Akon knew it. So far nothing he had come up with had worked. Even the other Soul Reapers couldn't make a mark on the Hollow's body. He would only get in the way.

Pulling his arm free, Veneno started running off after the Hollow and his orange-haired friend. "I can't let Ichigo have all the fun."

Further ahead, Ichigo started attacking the Hollow any way he could. The Hollow never took damage. This was frustrating. How were they supposed to kill this thing? Ichigo jumped back to avoid another attack from the Hollow. Thinking he would have an advantage, Ichigo used his Bankai and hoped for the best. That did nothing either. He only angered the Hollow.

"What the hell am I doing wrong?"

He saw someone running across the roof behind the Hollow and stabbed it in the back, drawing blood. The Hollow screeched and bunked Veneno off. Veneno landed on another roof and ran to the other side attacking from a different angle. Again he drew blood, this time from the Hollow's legs.

Ichigo stood back and watched. Veneno was fast! Just as fast as he remembered him. He moved too quickly to be tracked with the naked eye. Was it speed he was lacking? Was that why his attacks weren't working? He had to keep up with Veneno. Ichigo made a clawing motion, summoning his Hollow mask. He pushed himself off the ground with all he had and slashed the Hollow's arm, drawing blood. It was speed after all!

The Hollow slapped Veneno out of the sky and into a building. He quickly recovered, jumping out with his sword pointed forward. Ichigo attacked from below. The Hollow stomped at Ichigo while swiping at Veneno with its tail and arms. Veneno was slammed into another building and his sword flew out of his hand, landing with a clang in the middle of the street.

"Veneno!" Ichigo called from under the Hollow's tail.

The Arrancar shot out of the wall with his mouth open wide and his arms out as if he were expecting to catch something. Ichigo had seen that pose before. A yellow and sliver light began to form in front of him and shot straight out like a cannon. A cero. The Hollow took the hit in the chest and stumbled backwards. Veneno landed on the ground, kicked his sword into the air and caught it in his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Ichigo joined him in the final attack. They ran at the Hollow from either side and jumped. Veneno stabbed the Hollow's mask and jumped aside as Ichigo gave it the finishing blow, slicing it straight down the middle. The Hollow vanished and the two landed on a roof standing side by side.

As they watched the Hollow fade away, they turned to each other. Ichigo was the first to speak. "Nice job," he smiled, mask now gone.

Veneno smiled back with a chuckle. "Well, you've seen what I can do. I'm undefeated in the dojo. They've seen my skill, too. That was nothing I couldn't handle."

"You can't take a compliment graciously, can you?"

Veneno quieted and gave a halfhearted shrug. Ichigo playfully slapped him on the back, making him lurch forward. Seeing that Ichigo was kidding, Veneno's smile returned and shoved him.

Then Ichigo noticed that Veneno wasn't using his left arm. "You ok?"

"Hm?" Veneno looked down. "Oh. Yeah, I think I sprained my wrist. My knee's banged up, too. But I'm ok."

"Glad to hear it." Ichigo looked back in the direction they had fought the Hollow. "I wonder how that Hollow got in here and why no one could sense it. And why it was so hard to fight at first. I only managed to wound it when I increased my speed. I wonder why that was..."

Veneno shrugged. "That's the second one, isn't it? There was another one like that a little while ago, wasn't there? Just before I got my memory back."

"Yeah, you're right. We couldn't sense that one either. Something weird's going on." Ichigo turned back, seeing something move out of the corner of his eye.

Soul Reapers had gathered on the roof and on the rooftops of the buildings nearby. They were surrounded. A woman appeared in front of them, narrowing her eyes dangerously at the two below.

"We've found the Hollow, Captain Soi Fon," said one of the men.

Veneno's eyes widened and put a hand to his forehead. His mask was exposed.

"Don't let it escape, but don't interfere. It's mine." Soi Fon positioned herself and dashed forward. "Sting All Enemies To Death!"

Veneno's speed was useless to him now, frozen to the spot in fear. Soi Fon was right in front of him, pointing an odd claw in his face. Soi Fon's growl was drowned out by Ichigo's scream. "No!"

* * *

D: Found out!

Please review!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**:

It all seemed to happen in slow-motion. Ichigo could hear his feet dashing across the rooftop at a fantastic speed but his legs seemed much slower as he dove to protect Veneno. He threw himself in front of the attack. There was nothing else he could do.

He felt a sharp pain on his face. It felt a lot like a bee sting. Soi Fon froze, staring at him in shock. Then she pulled Suzumebachi free from his cheek, leaving behind a black butterfly tattoo which spread from his right cheek over his eye and lips.

For a moment they stared at each other in silence. Then she snarled at him and demanded, "Why did you do that? Get out of my way!"

"No!" Ichigo stood stubbornly in front of Veneno, blocking him with his body. He had made it in time. If he had been just a split second late, Veneno would have taken Soi Fon's attack and quite possibly could have died. Ichigo had taken the attack for him and saved his life. Ichigo quickly glanced over his shoulder at Veneno on the ground staring back at him with wide eyes.

Soi Fon started to move again and Ichigo moved his body to block her. "Move!" she demanded.

"I won't!" Ichigo held out his arms, acting as Veneno's shield. He wasn't going to let Soi Fon pass.

The Captain of Squad 2 growled, seeing that Ichigo was not going to stand aside. "Aiding the enemy, Kurosaki? Have you lost your mind?"

"He isn't our enemy!" Ichigo barked. "He just saved you guys." Ichigo knew what he was saying and he choose those words not on a whim. Veneno may have just saved them all. No one sensed that Hollow and no one seemed to be a match for it. Hopefully stating that Veneno had saved their lives would cause Soi Fon to back down. Or at the very least cause her to lower her weapon and hear them out. He never expected her to say 'thank you'.

"Saved us? Ha! That's ridiculous." She pointed Suzumebachi at Veneno's forehead. "I saw his mask. He's an Arrancar! He just attacked us!"

"No, he didn't! He just saved you all from that Hollow."

"What Hollow? If there were a Hollow in the Seireitei, everyone would have noticed. We would have sensed it."

"But you didn't! It was running around loose and Veneno just got rid of it for you. That thing was strong! The other Soul Reapers couldn't handle it."

Soi Fon didn't believe him. Her expression said it all.

One of her men from the Stealth Force took one step forward, "Captain, one of the injured Soul Reapers just confirmed that there was in fact a Hollow in the Seireitei. Ichigo must be telling the truth."

Before Ichigo could feel relieved, Soi Fon had another quick answer. "They could have been working together. For all we know that Arrancar could have let that Hollow in and attacked as a team."

"But reports confirm that the Arrancar attacked the Hollow. They weren't working together. They were clearly enemies."

"See?" Ichigo thought for a moment that Soi Fon would realize the truth. Sadly that was not the case.

"It could have been a ploy. That Arrancar could be putting on an act to gain our trust and then stab us in the back."

"He's not putting on an act! He just save your ass and then you try to kill him? He's an ally! Can't you see that?"

"He's an Arrancar!" shouted Soi Fon. "He has no place among us!"

Ichigo could hear the exact moment Veneno's heart dropped into his stomach. He took his eyes off Soi Fon to look at the man behind him. Ichigo's heart dropped, too. Veneno's expression was that of great sorrow. Ichigo could feel Veneno's pain in those sad downcast eyes. Soi Fon had just confirmed what he had believed all along. No matter what, he would never be accepted. No matter how much good he did, the simple unavoidable fact that he was an Arrancar meant that he would be sentenced to death no matter what. He was meant to die. He could never belong.

That only made Ichigo's blood boil. He turned back to Soi Fon, scowling at her.

"Now move out of the way," she ordered.

Ichigo didn't budge.

"I said move!"

"And I told you no!" Ichigo snapped. "Veneno isn't our enemy. He got rid of the Hollow and saved everyone. He fought along side me and helped me out when I needed him. He helped the Soul Reapers when they needed him, too. Don't you get it? He isn't the enemy! He helped us."

"You are so gullible, Kurosaki. You'll believe anything this Arrancar says simply because he assisted you against the Hollow."

"No. I believe in him because Veneno's my friend."

Ichigo sensed Veneno lift his head to look at his back. Hearing Ichigo call him 'friend' seemed to bring him some comfort.

"Your friend?" Soi Fon's tone was that of angry amusement. She wasn't just skeptical. She was insulted. Insulted that Ichigo would say such a thing to her face and expected her to accept it. It was like a child lying to his mother and somehow finding reason behind his wrongdoing. It was as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and then blaming her for leaving it out where he could get it, making it her fault and not his. She actually felt insulted. "This Arrancar is your friend?"

"Yes, he is. And he has a name. It's Veneno."

"I don't care what his name is. He's going to die right here." Soi Fon moved to strike at Veneno again only to have Ichigo block her path. She couldn't attack without risking hitting Ichigo instead. If she hit the same mark twice, it was all over for the teenager. "Move aside, Kurosaki!"

"Will you listen to me?" Ichigo shouted in her face, completely unafraid. "He is not our enemy. He helped us. He's done nothing wrong! You can't attack him if he hasn't done anything."

"For all we know, he could have let that Hollow in here in the first place."

"That's impossible! He's been with me this whole time. I would have seen it."

"Oh, so you never let him out of your sight? You've been here watching him from sunrise to sunset, is that it?"

"Well..." Ichigo hadn't been shadowing him all this while. He had been traveling back and forth. "No. But-"

"Then he could have!"

"But he didn't! I'm telling you he isn't a threat to us! He's innocent! We can trust him! I trust him! He's an ally." Ichigo had to make Soi Fon understand. "I'm telling you the truth. He has done nothing wrong. He helped us. We can trust him. He isn't a threat."

Soi Fon back away, but wasn't backing down. "Oh, really?" She put her hands on her hips and looked around at her men. "If there's anyone here who feels the same way, please, by all means, step forward. Does anyone here other than Ichigo believe that we can trust this Arrancar and that he is no threat to us?"

Ichigo glanced around at the men dressed in black from head to toe. No one moved. Ichigo swallowed, his eyes moving slowly from man to man. No one was moving. He stood alone.

Behind him, Veneno slumped in sadness. His chest hurt as if he had swallowed a mouthful of needles.

"You see?" Soi Fon said in a snide tone of voice. "You're the only one who thinks that. No one else considers him not to be a threat. No one else here believes in this Arrancar."

Ichigo lowered his head. What did this mean for Veneno? Were they really going to kill him? Was he really alone?

A shadow covered the ground at his feet. Ichigo lifted his head and realized he wasn't alone.

"I do," said Akon confidently. He was standing beside Ichigo, shielding Veneno from Soi Fon and her men with his body. Between the two of them, they formed a human wall between the Arrancar and the Soul Reapers.

Soi Fon stared at him. At first she was shocked. Then angry all over again. "What are you doing, Third Seat Akon?"

"You asked if there was anyone here besides Ichigo who believed in this Arrancar and I gave you my answer. I do. I believe in him."

The sadness within Veneno began to dissipate as he stared at Akon's back. He and Ichigo were both shielding him. They were protecting him, defending him. They believed in him.

Perhaps he did have reason to hope after all.

"You're defending that Arrancar?!" Soi Fon shouted at him.

"His name is Veneno, and yes I am." Akon didn't flinch, even when Soi Fon raised her voice.

"How can you possibly trust this Arrancar's word?" she demanded. "How do you know he isn't lying? All the things that have been happening here in the Soul Society could have been his doing."

"Impossible."

"How do you know?"

Akon answered honestly. "Because he's been with me all this time. I've been watching him and so has Ichigo. And Ichigo is telling the truth. Veneno did help protect us. He fought alongside us and defeated the Hollow."

"It could have been a trick. He could have let that Hollow in here in the first place."

"Not if he was with me the whole time."

Soi Fon let out a growl, frustrated. "Be that as it may... he broke into the Seireitei. He's dangerous."

"He never broke in here. You have it all wrong."

"How is that? How can you prove that he isn't a threat? How can he be our ally?"

"Because of the fact that he's been here all along. He's never broken in. He was here to start with. No one ever noticed him. But he's been here, alright."

Soi Fon peered over their shoulders and noticed Veneno's clothing. "He's been masquerading as a Soul Reaper. Do you take me for a fool? Simply dressing as one isn't going to fool anyone."

"Captain Soi Fon, please let me explain. You must listen to me before jumping to conclusions." Akon had to tell the truth. There was no avoiding it now. "Veneno has been helping us all along. He's been living side by side with Soul Reapers for two weeks now and no one's noticed a thing. You can point fingers and blame him for things he didn't do but at the end of the day it's nothing more than speculation. None of it is true anyway. He's never broken in here and he didn't unleash that Hollow. He fought against that Hollow in front of a number of eye witnesses. He didn't just appear. He's been here for weeks."

"Where has he been all this time and no one noticing?"

Akon took in a deep breath through his teeth. "In the laboratory... Squad 12."

"In there, huh? And how can you guarantee that he is no danger or threat to anyone? If he didn't break in then what happened?"

Again, Akon, took in a deep breath before answering. "My Captain... he..."

"I knew Mayuri had something to do with this. But creating an Arrancar? Who gave him permission to do that? Was the Head Captain made aware?"

"Technically, Veneno wasn't created as much as he was... resurrected." Akon hesitated. "Remember that Arrancar a few months ago... the whole Hollow Reaper incident?"

A look of rage passed over Soi Fon's face. "He's the one who..?!"

Akon held out his arms to prevent her from leaping over them and attacking Veneno. "Whoa, whoa! Not exactly! Hear me out, Captain Soi Fon!"

"There's nothing to hear out! He's the one who nearly ruined us all and put both worlds into chaos!"

"Let me explain! He's not the same as he was back then! He's different now! Let me explain!"

Soi Fon stopped struggling. "Make it fast and make it good."

Akon spoke very quickly. "The Captain found a way to revive the Arrancar. Veneno was never really dead as much as he was incapacitated. While keeping his mind and memories intact, Mayuri managed to restore Veneno's body and healed him. That's it in a nutshell. However, when Veneno awoke, he was like an infant. He had no idea who he was or what was going on. He was completely helpless. I was put in charge of him. I watched over him and took care of him. Slowly, he began to regain some functions and learned quickly. He wasn't allowed to leave the lab but eventually, in order to help the learning process, we allowed him to help us out in the lab. Veneno did very well."

"Get to the point! How does this prove that he isn't a threat?"

"Because he couldn't remember being an Arrancar. He didn't even know what Soul Reapers were. We were all dressed the same and living in the same place. Everyone assumed we were equals. No one noticed anything amiss. No one in the lab thought he was any different from the rest of us. We are equals."

"So?"

"So? So without a reason to fear and hate, there was never an issue. Don't you see? It was our fear and hate that made us enemies in the first place."

Soi Fon rolled her eyes, scoffing.

"It's all true!" Akon insisted. "Veneno hated and feared us because of what we did to him and we were taught to hate and perceive Arrancars as our enemy. Without that getting in the way-"

"So what was the point of the experiment? To see if he would live beside us without issue?"

"That wasn't the intention at first, but it was proven true. Because everyone thought he was a Soul Reaper, no one thought him to be a threat. No one threatened him and no one attacked him. No one had any pre-judgements. We were able to judge him based off of who he is rather than what he is. Captain Soi Fon, is the only reason why you're attacking him because he's an Arrancar? Have you witnessed him do anything evil?"

She didn't answer him with words. Only a glare.

"Then I insist we discuss this more fairly. Before you make any rash decisions, before you act, give us time to explain and plead our case."

Soi Fon looked from Akon to Veneno and back. Growling, she lowered her weapon. "Fine. But the Head Captain will hear about this at once."

"I understand."

"At any rate, I'm not allowing him to live simply because you begged me. It's because we need to question him. That's easier to do when he's alive. That's the only reason."

Akon nodded. "I understand."

Soi Fon turned around and ordered her men to fall back. The men and their Captain flashed away.

Akon turned around and looked Veneno over. "Are you alright?"

He didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the ground. He looked hurt.

Ichigo turned to Akon. "Thank you for helping. Because you defended him..."

"I didn't solve anything. I just bought us some time. That's all I did. The worst is yet to come. Now Captain Soi Fon is going to inform the Head Captain and he's going to want to speak to me and my Captain about this and..." Akon sighed. "Either way, it's not looking too good. If Head Captain Yamamoto considers Veneno to be a threat, he will have him killed."

"After he helped save you guys? That's not fair! He hasn't done anything." Ichigo had a feeling that this would happen but he had hoped that it wouldn't be true. "There's got to be something you can do, Akon."

"I'll talk to them but I can't make any promises."

"You can't let them kill him when he hasn't done anything wrong!"

"I know that, Ichigo! I'll try my best but I can't promise anything. It's out of my hands. The best I can do is defend him and tell them the truth. Veneno is no threat. I will tell them that but what they decide to do from there is their business. I can't interfere. You have to understand that. There's only so much I can do."

He knew Akon could only do so much. After seeing how Akon defended Veneno, Ichigo knew he would do his best to help protect him. In the end, Akon was right. Whatever they decided to do after that was out of his hands. He couldn't do anything more than talk to the higher-ups and plead his case. That was it. There were limits. All Ichigo could do now was pray that they would listen.

They helped Veneno stand up. He looked at the black butterfly on Ichigo's face which was slowly starting to disappear. The mark made Veneno's chest feel strange. It was a battle scar; proof that Ichigo had come to his rescue, even if it meant putting his life on the line to protect him. Was that why his chest felt so strange? He couldn't place the feeling. He didn't know what this was.

Veneno started to walk aimlessly across the roof.

"Veneno, are you alright?" asked Akon.

He glanced up. "I knew it all along. It doesn't matter."

"What doesn't matter?"

"What I do. What you say. None of it matters."

Akon approached him. "I'll meet with Yamamoto and the other Captains and we'll straighten this out. I'll speak with them about this. You helped us. That could work in your favor. We-"

"It doesn't matter!" Veneno screamed. "It doesn't matter what I did to help them!"

"Veneno, it does-"

"I'm an Arrancar!"

Veneno's voice echoed. Ichigo and Akon stood silently, unable to say a word. Veneno's whole body was shaking.

"It doesn't matter how much good I do, how many Soul Reapers I help. None of that matters! All they're ever going to see is an Arrancar! Arrancars are the enemy of Soul Reapers. No matter what I do, I will always be a threat in their eyes." Veneno's voice started to shake along with his body. He lowered his head again, hiding his eyes. "I will never stop being an Arrancar."

No matter what he did, the Soul Reapers would never stop seeing him as an enemy. Veneno felt so helpless. He was destined to be alone. Even if Ichigo came to rescue him, he was one of the few who would. He would always have more enemies than allies. He would always be living in fear.

Ichigo truly wanted to help him and not out of pity but out of a sense of justice. It wasn't right for the Soul Reapers to kill Veneno solely because he was an Arrancar. His good deeds must have counted for something. They should only deal out punishment on those who have done wrong and not on account of their race.

Veneno had a right to live.

* * *

It was taking longer than expected for the meeting to begin. Akon and Ichigo never let Veneno out of their sights. They remained together, waiting. Akon was sure they would want to speak with Veneno was well and hear what he had to say. However, no one came for them. He was beginning to wonder if this meeting was only for the Captains.

Ichigo tried to offer Veneno some comforting words. "It'll be ok. Everything will work out."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. No matter what, I won't let them kill you. Not when you haven't do anything wrong."

"You can't do that, Ichigo," said Akon. "If they do decide to have him put to death, there's nothing you can do about it."

"If they have such a problem with him being here then I'll take him somewhere else."

"That's a bad idea, Ichigo. If you take him somewhere else, they'll assume you're helping the enemy escape and you'll be in trouble. Besides, nothing makes you look guilty than running away."

Again, Akon had a point. Still, if the Captains did decide to have Veneno killed, Ichigo would try to help him escape. He wouldn't let them kill him.

Akon looked down the hall and straightened up. "Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku, good afternoon."

Ichigo looked up. Ukitake and Kyoraku were walking down the hall towards them. "Afternoon," they greeted.

Ukitake looked at the person standing beside Ichigo near the wall. "Say, Shunsui..."

"Well, well, well," smiled the other Captain. "Is this the Arrancar I've been hearing so much about?"

Word had traveled faster than expected of Veneno's Arrancar identity.

The two Captains were staring at Veneno. Their gaze pushed Veneno behind Ichigo where he hide like a shy child. Veneno must have been afraid that these Captains were about to capture him and drag him away somewhere.

"So you're the Arrancar, huh?" said Shunsui. He smiled at him as if meeting a distant relative. "So what's your name? Don't be shy."

"I'm not shy!" Veneno snapped from behind Ichigo. Ichigo stepped to the side but as he did, Veneno stepped with him, still trying to hide his body. "My name's Veneno." He glared at the Captains over Ichigo's shoulder.

"Ah..! Nice name." Shunsui leaned his body to one side to get a better look at Veneno without taking a step closer. He didn't want to invade his personal space. "How long have you been here anyway?"

Veneno mumbled the answer into Ichigo's shoulder.

"Sorry, I couldn't catch that."

He took a step to the side, moving away from Ichigo ever so slightly. "I said two weeks maybe."

"Wow. And no one's noticed you? You must be stealthy. Either that or I'm not very observant. I must be getting old."

Ukitake chuckled. "You're not as old as the master."

"Old man Yamamoto has to be old, otherwise we wouldn't be able to call him that. Then he'd just be 'man Yamamoto'. Not as fun."

Veneno's lips curled into a smile, finding that amusing.

"If you're an Arrancar, then where's your mask? You should have one."

Veneno lifted his bangs, showing them his mask fragment.

"Ah! I see it now. Very subtle. I like it."

Veneno dropped his bangs, grinning slightly. "T- thanks..."

"Dressed like a Soul Reaper and the mask is well hidden... no wonder no one noticed. I feel better. I'm not getting old after all."

Veneno was still smiling. Now Ichigo could see what they were doing. They were trying to engage Veneno in conversation so he would feel more comfortable and open up to them. They were trying to learn more about him.

It seemed to be working. Veneno wasn't hiding his body anymore. He no longer considered them a threat.

"Say," said Ukitake. "I'm curious. Would you be able to show us some of your skills later on? I'd love to see them. I'm guessing you have some skills with a sword."

"I do. I've been training with the men in Squad 11's dojo."

"I see. That's excellent. If you're able to keep up with them, you must be very strong. Those guys don't mess around."

"Where have you been staying?" asked Shunsui.

"Squad 12 barracks."

"Nice. I hope they've been treating you right."

He nodded. "I have a bed and clothes and Ichigo's been bringing me things to eat from his world."

"Good. You seem like a good man so I'd hate it if they were to bully you. You seem very nice to me."

Veneno's smile deepened.

"I hope Squad 11 hasn't been giving you any trouble. Those guys are tough as nails. They like to pick on people as a game. They just love harassing people from Squad 4. I hope they haven't been asking you to join them in that."

"No." Veneno looked curious. "They pick on other Soul Reapers?"

"Yeah. They call it friendly teasing. They do that to each other and call it fun. Don't take it personal if they do it to you."

"Yeah, it's just their way of saying they like you. At least that's my understanding of it. What do you think, Shunsui?"

"Eh. I try not to understand them. They're weird. One too many blows to the head if you ask me."

Veneno was smiling again. He was almost laughing.

Ukitake looked up then back at the other Captain. "Shunsui, we should get going. The meeting's about to start."

"Oh, yeah. Time really flies, huh? We had a few minutes now it's up. Oh, well." Shunsui reached forward toward Veneno. Veneno flinched and shut his eyes tight, expecting to be hit. Instead he felt the Captain's hand on his head, patting him gently. He opened his eyes and looked at Shunsui's arm a little surprised. "You take care of yourself, you hear?"

Veneno nodded.

Shunsui removed his hand and Ukitake ruffled Veneno's hair. "I look forward to seeing what you can do after the meeting's over so don't go anywhere, ok? I'm very interested."

Veneno smiled and nodded his head up and down. "Ok."

"Good. See you in a bit." Ukitake and Shunsui walked down the hall toward a pair of large doors. The meeting was about to begin.

Ichigo watched Veneno's expression and actions. He was watching the Captains leave with a smile on his face. He seemed to be won over by their kindness. He was afriad of them before because he wasn't sure what they were going to do to him. Now he considered them to be friends. He liked them. He couldn't sense any ill intent. They seemed very nice.

Akon smiled at Veneno's smile. "They don't seem to be afraid of you. I think they like you."

Veneno turned to Akon.

"You've got nothing to worry about." Akon patted Veneno on the shoulder. "Soi Fon is always like that, but most of the Captains here are very nice. They're the ones whose opinions matter."

That's right. If Ukitake and Shunsui both liked Veneno and sensed that he was a good person, they may come to his defense during the meeting. Soi Fon may not trust him but she was just one Captain. Now they have two Captains who liked him. Things may work out for them after all.

Suddenly, another Captain came striding down the hall with an angry look on his face. Mayuri reached out and grabbed the back of Akon's lab coat and dragged him down the hall toward the large doors. "Get over here, you miserable sorry excuse for a bag of puss!"

Ichigo and Veneno watched helplessly as Akon was dragged away by his Captain. It seemed if Mayuri was going down, he was taking Akon with him. The Captain of Squad 12 was not pleased that his Third Seat had leaked information about the experiment and confessed that he had performed it without permission. Because of this, Mayuri was in a terrible mood and Akon was going to pay for it.

Ichigo and Veneno exchanged looks. "I guess we just wait."

Veneno nodded and sat against the wall wrapping his arms around his knees. "Yeah."

"Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine."

* * *

"Captain Kurotsuchi," boomed the Head Captain as the meeting began. "It has come to our attention that you have conducted an experiment on an Arrancar without consent and released it into the Seireitei. What do you have to say in your defense?"

"You never let me have any fun," Mayuri rolled his eyes. "You don't understand. I fail to see what I've done wrong. All you have are speculations."

"Then what do you call that out in the hall?" demanded Soi Fon. "Are we lying about the Arrancar? Is he not here among us? That is hardly a speculation!"

"Captain Soi Fon, let him explain himself," said the Head Captain.

"You never liked me anyway," Mayuri mumbled under his breath. Then he spoke louder for the other Captains to hear. "I did not set him loose into the Seireitei. That is speculation. He was safely in my lab. He's the one who let him out." He pointed to Akon.

Akon's head snapped up. "Now I'm on trial here?"

"You know you are not allowed to conduct any experiments without permission."

"Technically, I didn't. You gave me permission to experiment on Hollows. That has been approved. An Arrancar is nothing more than an advanced Hollow. So, technically, I haven't done anything wrong."

"Stop trying to get out of this on technicality!" snapped Soi Fon.

"I'm not trying to get out of anything. I'm simply stating the facts."

The Head Captain regained order and addressed Mayuri. "Explain yourself. This is your experiment, after all. What exactly is this Arrancar?"

"If you're asking if I created him, then the answer is no. I'll try to explain. A few months ago during the attack involving Hollow Reapers, Ichigo Kurosaki managed to defeat the Arrancar responsible. Since he was my experiment in the first place, you allowed me to have his remains brought back to my lab. I found it odd that his body was still intact despite being dead for some time. I suspected that he wasn't as dead as we thought and decided to test my theory. I extracted certain parts of his being and only then did his body pass on. In other words, he was never dead to begin with."

"How can you say that?" asked Komamura. "We had his body checked before bring him to your lab. He had no pulse. Ichigo had killed him."

"Ah, so it would seem." Mayuri started to smile, enjoying this. "You see, while his physical form appeared to be dead, his mind continued to work, just not at full capacity. He was in a vegetative state or a kind of coma. His body was no longer able to function. His vitals weren't working the way they should which was why you mistook him for dead."

"Impossible," scoffed Soi Fon. "If he had no pulse, wasn't breathing, no heartbeat, how could he still be alive?"

"There are cases in which people are mistakenly pronounced dead and are buried alive. It's rare to come by nowadays but still possible," said Unohana. "I believe Captain Kurotsuchi may be correct on this. I have come across studies of this."

"As I was saying, no one could detect life within him because of this so he was assumed to be dead. He wasn't. All I did was restore him to his former glory."

"So you resurrected him?" asked Shunsui.

"Not really," explained Mayuri. "I simply extracted the parts of him that were working and were still living. His mind and blood mostly. His brain worked, his body didn't, basically. Since his body was no longer of use, it disappeared once his consciousness was no longer there. That was the only thing keeping his body from passing on. There's no need for a useless body, so it's gone. What I did after that was restore his body. His mind was still working, he just needed a body. Put simply, I healed him. I revived him."

"So..." started Ukitake. "The body he has now... is it a type of gigai?"

"No. Arrancars are capable of regeneration. I just helped him along. With part of him still working he was slowly healing himself but it was taking longer than expected. With his body no longer there, his Arrancar powers were struggling to figure out how to heal itself. His body wasn't able to be healed which was why it disappeared. Think of it as a paraplegic. The person still has a full body but part of it is no longer functioning. The brain is sending signals to the legs to move however, that signal never reached that part of the body. The body is fully attached but the connection is severed on the inside."

"I think I understand."

"So it is for the Arrancar. You just helped him heal."

Mayuri nodded his head. "Correct. Took months but it happened."

"You still shouldn't have done that," said Hitsugaya. "You should have left it well enough alone."

"It was my experiment in the first place. I was given permission to experiment on Hollows. I was allowed to do that. That Arrancar may have evolved, but he's still my experiment which means I'm allowed to do this." Mayuri sighed, throwing his arms up in a shrug. "I never expected a child to understand."

Hitsugaya glared at him. "I understand perfectly. It started off as a Hollow, which you were given permission to experiment on. Then through your experimentation it developed into an Arrancar. It never stopped being your experiment no matter how it changed. Evolved or not, it still belongs to you because of how it started out. I know that's how you're justifying your actions and reasons for bringing it back."

"I never resurrected it."

"No, but you did bring it back to working order. That's my point."

"All that is irrelevant," said Soi Fon. "What we need to know is if the Arrancar is dangerous or not."

"I agree," said Komamura. "This is in fact the same Arrancar that nearly brought all of the Soul Society to its knees and turned almost everyone into Hollow Reapers. Now that he's back, doesn't that spell bad news for us? What makes you think he won't do it again? He's already tried once and now he's back."

"My Third Seat has been keeping a detailed log of the Arrancar ever since his revival," said Mayuri. "The Arrancar has been in his care ever since. He would be able to tell you everything you need to know."

"And you can't?"

"I never said that. Of course I know. I just figured you wanted to hear from someone else on the subject."

"Then what is your opinion, Captain Kurotsuchi?" asked Unohana. "Would you say he's dangerous?"

"That all depends. But I doubt he'll repeat his actions from before."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because when he was revived, he had complete amnesia. Had no idea who he was or what he was, much less anyone around him."

"Is this true, Akon?" asked Komamura.

Akon nodded. "Yes, sir. I was there at the time. Veneno did not even know how to walk and he could not speak. He had to be shown everything all over again. Even feeding himself took some effort. His personality was different as well. Never once did he show any sort of hostility. He couldn't even remember his powers. If he ever displayed an ability, he seemed surprised he was able to do it. He developed slowly but he's a fast learner."

"How do you know this isn't some act?"

"All the tests a ran confirmed this," said Mayuri. "Plus his log told me everything I needed to know. Basically, part of his mind wasn't fully active yet. Think of it as him walking around half asleep. His memories were locked away in part of his consciousness. He couldn't have been lying about any of this."

"Veneno didn't even know he was an Arrancar," Akon continued. "Nor did he know what we were. Because we were all dressed the same and worked together, he assumed we were all the same. So did the other Soul Reapers. No one noticed a difference."

Unohana seemed hesitant to speak, knowing what it would stir up. Nevertheless, she asked her question. "It seemed that since then, he has regained his memory. Is that true?"

Akon answered truthfully. "Yes. Veneno's memory has been restored. Recently."

"But is he dangerous or not?" asked Soi Fon again. She wanted a 'yes-or-no' answer. So far no one had answered.

"That's difficult to say. Anyone could be considered dangerous. But so far, he hasn't done anything wrong. He's never hurt anyone and he's continued to help us. However, remembering his past seems to have made him wary of Soul Reapers. He doesn't fully trust us."

"And we do not trust him." Soi Fon looked at the Head Captain. "Sir, I insist we eliminate this Arrancar before anything happens."

"Now hold on there, Soi Fon," said Shunsui. "I think we're getting a bit hasty. If he hasn't done anything, why should we kill him?"

"He's an Arrancar, isn't he?"

"Maybe so, but that doesn't prove anything either way. If he hasn't done anything..."

"What about what he did in the past? We can't overlook that."

"We can't punish him based off his past," said Ukitake. "He was defeated then. The way I see it, he's already been punished for his crimes. We can't punish him again months after the fact. That just isn't fair."

"Even without thinking that way, there's something else we need to take into account," said Komamura. "So far there have been two Hollow attacks within the Seireitei. This has never happened before. The Arrancar has been among us for only a short amount of time. It could be possible that he is behind this. If we were to kill him, it limits us as far as what to do about the situation. What if he is the only one who can stop it from happening again? Kill him, kill our chances."

"I doubt it," Mayuri scoffed. "When the Arrancar was restored, there were some traits that were discarded. Some of his abilities that never transferred over. One of them was his cloning ability."

"So he's in a weakened state?"

"More or less."

"Still..."

Akon stepped forward. "If Veneno was going to do something, he would have done it by now. Besides, he was never able to produce Hollows before so why now?"

"Maybe this is a part of his cloning ability," said Hitsugaya. "Maybe he cannot clone himself anymore, but maybe he can create Hollows? Pieces of himself? Like a compensation."

"Then we should lock him up," suggested Soi Fon.

"Caging him may only provoke him," warned Akon.

"We have to keep an eye on him somehow. He may do something if we don't."

Akon couldn't take it anymore. They didn't trust Veneno, they were blaming him for things he didn't do and now they were going to cage him out of fear that he might do something. Akon had spent so much time looking after Veneno he knew what he was capable of. He knew Veneno shouldn't be locked away, especially after saving them.

"In that case, we should lock you up!" he shouted at Soi Fon. He never meant to, but it just came out. "You might do something wrong so we should lock you up, too. We can't lock people away out of fear that they might do something. We should punish someone only after they have done wrong and not before. Everyone here has the potential to do something wrong but we choose not to. It's a matter of choice and not ability. Kenpachi has the power to do great damage and everyone knows he's a loose cannon, but we still keep him around and we don't cage him. You're only treating Veneno differently because of his race. That isn't fair. Need I remind you that we've had three Captains betray us and started a war? They were Soul Reapers, people thought to do good and protect others. We cannot judge based off of a person's race anymore. We've been wrong. Judge the person based on their actions. What matters is who they are and not what they are."

When Akon was finished with his outburst, he had to take several deep breaths to calm himself. He had spoken with such passion, but that wasn't the reason for his racing heart. It was the fear that he would be punished for it. He had spoken out of turn. He could tell from the serious faces staring back at him. Akon couldn't remember a time when he had felt so small.

"I agree," said Ukitake.

Akon exhaled.

"We've been wrong before. We trusted Aizen and the others and look what happened. We need to be open to the idea that there can be good elsewhere and not just among Soul Reapers. After all, we weren't born Soul Reapers. We became this way. We all started out as regular people and had to work our way up. We are not so different from others. It's time we stop being so arrogant."

"But Arrancars are known for their wickedness," argued Soi Fon. "He's done wrong before."

"So what? He could be trying to make amends. We would be wrong to stop him. Besides, he only attacked us out of fear before. As long as we show him that we can be humane, there shouldn't be an issue."

"Yeah, and besides," added Shunsui, "... we spoke with him outside before coming in. He wasn't hostile toward us at all. Actually, he seemed frightened. He's still unsure whether or not he can trust Soul Reapers. Once we showed him that we were not a threat, he opened up to us. I think we can trust him."

Ukitake nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think we can trust him. He doesn't seem dangerous. Not unless we make him out to be."

Soi Fon turned to Akon. "I was going to say that you've allowed yourself to be won over by an Arrancar. After all, you've spent so much time with him, you must be letting your personal feelings get in the way of your better judgment."

Akon gave a soft smile. "I can assure you that is not the case. I am a part of Squad 12, Research and Development. We know all too well not to get attached to any of our creations or experiments. You never know what might work and what you might need to take apart. What you might need to throw away. If you allow yourself to get attached to something, it will be that much harder for you to make progress. We look at the facts and see what works and what doesn't. We don't let personal feelings get in the way of our work. So rest assured, this Arrancar experiment is no different. I don't have any personal feelings one way or another. I'm just stating the facts."

Soi Fon nodded once. "Like I said, I was going to say that you did, but if these Captains are able to back you up on that and do not see him as a threat... then I suppose that is not the case." Soi Fon folded her arms. "Ok, so what should we do from here?"

"Should we put it to a vote?" asked Unohana.

"We're missing two Captains," pointed out Komamura. "Byakuya is still in the Wolrd of the Living and no one has seen Kenpachi in two days."

"Anyone know where he is?" asked Ukitake.

"Last I heard, he was going to the candy store with his Lieutenant." Shunsui started to chuckle. "We'll see them in another day or so. Probably lost."

"Voting isn't a bad way to go."

"Need I remind you that that Arrancar is still my experiment? I should get to decide what to do with it from here."

"You're allowed to vote, too," said the Head Captain.

Mayuri folded his arms and turned away. "And after I shared my research with you... None of you will ever understand. Always looking for the simple answers. Don't want to know how or why, just the result. Typical."

* * *

How will they vote?

You've seen the arguments. What would you say? How would you vote?

Please review! ^-^


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

Veneno pressed his back into the wall while Ichigo paced the hallway. The meeting had been going on for a full hour. Ichigo thought it would be much shorter considering the fact that they were missing a couple of Captains. He wondered how much longer they would be.

Finally the doors opened and the Captains began filing out of the meeting room. Ichigo stopped pacing and stood where he was, trying to catch a glimpse of Akon. He wanted to ask him how the meeting went. So far, Akon was not among them. Ichigo hoped he wasn't in terrible trouble for his actions. He wouldn't be locked up for this, would he?

Veneno shared in his worry, but it was mostly focused on himself. He didn't want to be locked away or killed. He was worried for Akon as well, but not as much as himself. He held his legs tighter to his chest and tried to focus on his surroundings. He wanted to enjoy his freedom for a while longer. This may be his last time seeing the sun and smelling the fresh air blowing from between the pillars. Soon, maybe, he would only experience these things through prison bars. If he were allowed to live, that is.

Finally, Akon exited the meeting room and walked towards them. Ichigo met him with serious eyes. "Well?"

Akon didn't look happy, which worried Ichigo. What was Veneno's fate?

"He is allowed to live. For now."

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't be killed.

"They were debating whether or not to lock him up out of fear. They put it to a vote and most of the Captains agreed that he should be allowed to roam free. He's not going to be locked up."

More good news. Ichigo turned to Veneno with a smile. "You hear that? You're not going to be locked away after all. They want you to live."

Wanted or decided? There was a difference.

While Veneno was relieved that he wasn't going to be put to death, he wasn't happy.

"The only reason why they wanted to lock him up in the first place was because of the Hollow attacks within the Seireitei. They thought it was suspicious that this didn't start happening until he showed up. That was the only reason. They thought he was responsible." Akon spoke the truth. He hoped adding this would help reassure Veneno.

He did seem to be less upset by this news.

"That's all they've decided so far."

"So what's going to happen to me now?" Veneno asked quietly from the floor.

"So far, you can keep doing what you've been doing. You still have your room, you're able to work in the lab with me and the others. Nothing's really changed."

Veneno stood up from the wall. He didn't look at Akon. "You're right. Nothing's changed." Veneno looked as if he had just eaten something very spicy. "And some things have," he added.

They knew what he meant. The Soul Reaper's view on Arrancars hadn't changed. What had changed was their knowledge of him. Now they knew there was an Arrancar living among them. He couldn't hide anymore. Soon, everyone would know and their view of him would change.

Ichigo tried to remain positive for his sake. "Hey, Akon knows you're an Arrancar and he's still here defending you."

"Yeah, but he's known from the start," Veneno said bitterly.

"There you are!" came the cheerful voice of Shunsui. He placed his arm heavily around Veneno's shoulders, giving him a one-armed hug. "I had hoped you wouldn't run off somewhere. Did Akon give you the good news?"

Veneno didn't speak, caught off guard by the Captain. His body went stiff as the older, taller man hugged him, pressing Veneno's face into his shoulder. Once again, Ichigo watched as Veneno's demeanor changed. A moment ago, he was moody and bitter, sulking in the corner being angry at the world and what it had done to him and was still doing to him. Now he looked surprised and nervous, like a shy child in his first social situation. He didn't seem to know what to do.

"Careful with his neck, Shunsui," warned Ukitake. "Don't hurt him."

"Ah, he's fine. If this guy can tango with Squad 11, he can handle anything. Can't you?"

Veneno again didn't speak. He just stood there, letting the Captain hold him under his arm. He didn't look upset. Only stunned.

Shunsui released him and patted him hard on the back, making Veneno's body lurch forward with each pat. "We knew you weren't dangerous all along. Soi Fon was the one who was concerned mostly. Girl needs to learn how to lighten up. She's worse than my Lieutenant. Then again, Captain Komamura had his concerns, too. An Arrancar has never been here before. You're the first, I think. They were just being cautious. That's all. I'm sure you'd feel the same if we came bursting into your home all of a sudden and you didn't know what was going on. Am I right?"

Veneno's mouth moved up and down but no sound came out.

Ukitake looked Veneno over with a frown. "Are you alright? I hope the Captain didn't hurt you. He was just being friendly."

Veneno looked down.

"Friendly nothing." Akon pointed. "These two voted for you to continue living with us if that was your desire. They didn't want to see you locked up. I already thanked them for you. I just thought you should know."

Ukitake changed the subject. "Ah, well. Your Captain's getting chewed out still by the Head Captain. Mayuri's pleading his case, not just about this situation but about others as well. Be prepared. He's going to be in a foul mood."

"It's fine."

Veneno lifted his head. "Why would you defend me?"

Ukitake looked back. "Why? Well... you just don't seem that bad to me."

"But I'm an Arrancar!"

"So?"

Veneno stopped. This man really didn't mind? It was ok for him to be an Arrancar? These two men didn't seem bothered by him at all. Not once did either of them show him any hatred or mistrust. They treated him just like anyone else.

"Oh, yes," Ukitake snapped his fingers, remembering something. "You still have to show me your skills. I'm interested to see what you can do."

"Yeah, I'd like to see that," added Shunsui.

Veneno stepped back. His eyes drifted from their faces to the ground then up and came to rest on their chests. He was unable to look them in the eye. "You want..?" He shook his head. "I shouldn't."

"Oh? Why not?"

He kept his eyes down. "If I show off my abilities, the others might see my power and deem me as a threat and get rid of me. Once they've seen what I can do... I shouldn't."

"Aw... Well, alright, then." Ukitake sounded disappointed. He wasn't putting on an act. It was genuine. "That's alright. I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Yeah, if you think that's best then that's ok. Maybe some other time."

Veneno had to admit that he liked the attention and was happy that people were interested in him. It gave him a good feeling.

Seeing the Captains shift as if preparing to leave, Veneno suddenly blurted out, "What's your name?"

The two stopped. "Oh, we didn't introduce ourselves, did we? Completely forgot. Must be getting old."

Ichigo watched them without making any sound or movement. Veneno was feeling more comfortable. The fact that he wanted to know their names meant that he had some sort of connection with them. This was a good sign.

"I'm Captain Jushiro Ukitake."

"You can just call me Shunsui. I really don't mind. You can even call me Captain Hat if you want." Shunsui tilted his straw hat forward so it covered his eyes.

Veneno smiled at the joke. Again, he was very close to laughing.

Then Veneno remembered something. "You're Ukitake?" he asked, pointing to the man with white hair. "You're the one the women were making the banner for?"

Ukitake's face lit up. "Oh, yes! The women said that they had help from Akon and another man. That was you? Thank you. I wanted to tell you in person but you never came to my home."

"I got covered with paint and we had to wash up."

"Yes, the women told me," Ukitake laughed. "Thank you very much for the banner. I'm sick very often. I wish I wasn't. But people stop by to bring me gifts and brighten my spirits. I'm very grateful."

"If you're almost always sick, why are you still a Captain? Why do people continue to care about you?" Veneno spoke bluntly, but he was only speaking his mind. "Doesn't that make you of less worth? Why not toss you aside and find someone who isn't flawed? Don't people find you to be a pain being sick so often?"

"I've wondered about that myself from time to time," Ukitake said with a soft smile. "I worry, putting so many people out like that because of my illness. I've been sick all my life. But I'm happy to see that no matter what there are people who still care about me. They're considerate. And they stop by to cheer me up and bring me gifts. It's because they care about me."

Veneno frowned. "I don't understand."

"It's difficult to measure someone's worth. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean I'm any less of a person. I'm valuable to them. I suppose it's because... Maybe it's because..." Ukitake chuckled wearily. "This is harder than I thought. Even I'm not sure about the answer. I can't speak for everyone. I'm sure everyone has their reasons."

"It's because they care about you," said Shunsui. "It doesn't matter if you're healthy or not. You're a strong man and a kind man. People like you because of you. And because they care, they want you to get well and are willing to do things to make you happy. That's what love is all about."

"But why?" Veneno was still having trouble understanding. "Aren't Soul Reapers supposed to be all powerful? If one's sick then... Wouldn't they get rid of you in favor of a better one who isn't sick all the time?"

"Like I said, it's something that cannot be easily measured. I'm still a good Captain and I'm strong. I just have off days like anyone else. They want to keep me around because they like me. Much like Shunsui said. Everyone's life has value."

Veneno hung on his every word. Hearing that someone like Ukitake, a man who is frequently ill and out of commission, still had worth and people who cared about him made Veneno reflect on himself. Perhaps Ukitake being ill was really no different from him being an Arrancar. Maybe his life had some worth after all. Maybe others would find him valuable, too. While he still couldn't fully comprehend what this meant exactly, it made him feel a little better. Hearing this helped relieve some of his stress and worry.

"You're doing better today, huh, Jushiro?" asked Shunsui.

"Better than I was, yes." Ukitake started to turn his body. "We'd better be going. I have a lot of work to catch up on. I've been out a while. I'm sure you have work to do, too, so I'll be off."

"I'll be seeing you around," said Shunsui, following the other Captain. "We should hang out if you get a free moment sometime." He gave Veneno a quick pat on the head before leaving after Ukitake.

Veneno's legs started to move, as if preparing to follow. Then he planted himself where he was and watched them walk away. Veneno couldn't hide the smile creeping onto his face. He could still feel Shunsui's hand on the top of his head, making him feel warm and secure. These men were completely unafraid of him, despite being an Arrancar. They treated him so well and showed him such kindness. He was actually disappointed to watch them go and wanted to follow. He liked these men.

These Soul Reapers.

Ichigo smirked at Veneno's smile. "You look pretty happy, Veneno."

The Arrancar forced himself to frown and turned away as if being caught stealing.

Akon stepped into Ichigo's field of vision. "There's a more pressing matter to..." He stopped, seeing his Captain coming their way. He looked angry and was muttering to himself as he passed them by. "Captain, sir!"

"What do you want now?" he turned around. "Haven't you gotten me into enough trouble for one afternoon? Or is it you want to end up an experiment?"

"Captain, we've barely touched on the true issue at hand. The Hollows that have been appearing within the Seireitei. We need to look into it."

"They don't interest me. Why bother?" Mayuri gave a wave of his hand as if brushing it away. He started to walk away.

"They think Veneno was summoning them somehow," Akon called to his back.

"So what? Let them think that. They could never wrap their heads around what we do anyway. They aren't the brightest bunch out there. Even explaining Veneno's revival confused them and I barely scratched the surface of what went on. I could never explain myself thoroughly. They would never understand. So quick to judge and never understanding. God forbid they use their brains, the barbarians. I know that Veneno hasn't been doing it. They're sorely mistaken if they think he is. I know that is not the case."

"Then don't you want to find out how they're getting here?"

"Don't care. It's not very interesting."

Akon had to get his Captain to listen somehow. This was important. "They never broke into the Seireitei. We checked the gates. No breaches, no activity or disturbances. It's as if these Hollows simply showed up out of nowhere. How could they materialize like that?"

"That would be impossible." Mayuri started to slow his steps. "Unless, of course, these Hollows possess some sort of ability allowing them to do so..."

"But every single one of them? There have been two so far and both had displayed the same ability and both have shown up out of nowhere without anyone noticing." Akon took in a breath. "Not only that, but no one has even been able to sense them. Don't you find it odd that within the entire Seireitei, not one Soul Reaper has been able to sense them. No one has noticed."

Mayuri stopped walking. "Hm. That is interesting..."

"Not one single Soul Reaper... no one could sense them. I know you said that Veneno had nothing to do with it and I believe that, too... However, these Hollows seem to possess Spiritual Pressure that is almost completely undetectable... just like Veneno. His Spiritual Pressure is so faint, so muddled that no one can tell the difference between him and a Soul Reaper. These Hollows aren't detectable at all. No one can sense them. Not one single Soul Reaper."

It may have been repetitive, but at least he managed to finally get his Captain's attention and that was what he was aiming for. Now Mayuri was interested.

"Hm..." he said to himself. "You may have a point. Why can't anyone sense them? Yes, I see... This calls for further investigation."

Akon's shoulders slumped in relief.

"The Arrancar may not be able to do this but..." Mayuri snapped his fingers. "Akon, follow me to the lab. We'll get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, sir." Mayuri wasn't doing this to clear Veneno's name. He was only in it for the answer. Akon wanted to help Veneno. "Ichigo, stay with him while I help the Captain."

Ichigo and Veneno looked at each other. "But-"

"I don't care what you do. You can come back to the lab, too, for all I care. Just don't leave him alone."

"Ok. Good luck finding things out."

"Thanks."

* * *

It wasn't long before everyone knew about the Arrancar living in the Seireitei among Soul Reapers. Though its identity was still unknown to most, the Soul Reapers became very nervous. They traveled with their Zanpakuto at all times and made sure their doors were closed while working. Squad members walked from building to building with a partner, making sure they were never alone should the Arrancar choose to attack.

There were those who knew Veneno was the Arrancar and chose to keep their distance. The people Veneno had once shared conversations and meals with now shunned him. Conversations halted as Veneno approached and the Soul Reapers stared at him as he walked by.

Veneno's happy world had grown quiet. He entered another hallway with Ichigo and the Soul Reapers passing through backed against the wall, clearing the area. Veneno walked through with his head down. The Soul Reapers whispered to each other as he passed. Their hushed warnings and gossip coupled with their harsh gaze weighed heavily on Veneno's shoulders. Each whispered word was like another stone thrown at his back as he passed by.

Ichigo was tempted to say something but restrained himself. It was best for Veneno to handle this himself. It wouldn't be right to interfere. Veneno would never learn if Ichigo did everything for him.

"Do you see him? That's the Arrancar that's been spying on us."

"That's what you've heard? Spying on us for what?"

"It's just a rumor. I don't know if it's true or not."

"Do you think he's dangerous? I mean, I know he's an Arrancar and everything, but I think it's strange he hasn't attacked us yet. What's he waiting for?"

"Maybe he's not going to attack."

"Then what's he doing here, do you think?"

"Who knows? What I want to know is why the Captains haven't done anything about him yet. They know he's here. What are they waiting for?"

"Maybe they don't think he's a problem. If they thought he was dangerous, they would have taken care of him already."

"I wonder why Ichigo's with him?"

"Maybe he's keeping an eye on him. To make sure he doesn't do anything."

"You think so?"

Veneno shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the voices. They didn't trust him. They were afraid of him. Part of Veneno wanted to lash out and give them something to be afraid of. Another part told him to ignore it. He was afraid of them, after all. He could understand how they must have felt. Their distrust was really no different from his. Knowing that gave him little comfort.

Veneno turned out of the hall, down the stairs and out the door. Ichigo followed him outside. He wasn't going anywhere. He just wanted to get away from those voices and stares.

"Did you want to go back to your room?" Ichigo asked.

"No."

They stood watching the clouds for a short while before going back inside. The halls were clear now. However, Veneno's expression hadn't changed from before. He still looked as if he were in pain.

"Was there anything you wanted to do?"

"No."

Ichigo didn't know what to say to him. Part of him wanted to punch him and tell him to not let this bother him but he knew that wasn't the right way to deal with the situation. Veneno needed a different touch. Somewhere between gentle and firm. He responded well to certain things. Right now, it seemed Veneno just wanted to wander around and keep to himself. Ichigo didn't try to stop him.

As they passed by several rooms, one door opened and a Soul Reaper bumped into Veneno, knocking the stack of papers to the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Without thinking about it, Veneno bent down and started to pick up the papers. It came so naturally to him. Had he been trained to do this or was it already in him? Veneno didn't know. Nevertheless, he carried on with his act of kindness.

Ichigo bent down to help them gather the papers.

"Thanks, you didn't have to," said the Soul Reaper with blond hair. "It was my fault."

"It's fine. I don't mind." Veneno tapped the papers against the ground to aline them and handed the neat stack to the Soul Reaper. "Here."

Ichigo did the same. "Here, Izuru."

Kira took the papers from Ichigo first. "Thanks a lot." He added them to his pile and turned to collect the rest. His hand stopped at Veneno's pile. "You're... you're that Arrancar, aren't you?"

Veneno looked into Kira's blue eyes before dropping his gaze to the side. "Yeah."

Kira didn't take the papers from him. He kept staring at Veneno.

Veneno's eyes drifted up, looked at Kira then quickly looked back down.

"It's just..." Kira began. "I mean... Why would you help me?"

"You dropped the papers, so I picked them up for you. It's not a big deal. Ichigo did the same," Veneno mumbled.

"Yeah, but... What I mean is..." Kira searched for the words. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. It's just papers," Veneno mumbled again.

"I know. It's just the way everyone's been acting, I guess I expected you to be... different." Kira forced a laugh. "Never mind. It came out wrong. I just never expected you to go out of your way to help a Soul Reaper."

Veneno didn't answer.

"Not many people in my Squad would do that. Most of them would laugh at me for dropping them and some would even kick the papers out of their way."

Veneno looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Don't they like you?"

"I guess they do. That's just how they are. They're big on pranks. They're nice people and all, it's just... Eh, I make it easy for them anyway. My Captain used to encourage them. They hazed me my first week in the Squad. It's how they welcomed me. Nothing too terrible. The Captain's pranks were much worse."

"Why'd they do that?"

"I guess it's their way of saying they like me. I never bothered to ask. Pranks don't happen that much anymore. Not since the Captain... left..." It was Kira's turn to look down. Pushing the memory aside, he looked up again. "They respect me and they are pretty nice. That's just how they are. They like a good prank. At least they know when to stop. Well, unless it's Hanataro's birthday. Then they don't. Some times I think they compete with Squad 11. It's not over until something explodes." Kira blinked. "Am I talking too much? Sorry about that."

"It's fine." Veneno tapped Kira's pile with his stack of papers. "Do you want them or what?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks." Kira accepted the papers and set them on top of his pile. "So are you two heading anywhere?"

"Just walking around," Ichigo answered.

"Oh, I see." Kira stood up. "I've got some work to do but I might be free a little later if you guys wanted to hang out or something. My normal drinking buddies are gone and I wouldn't mind some new company."

"I'm not going drinking," said Ichigo, trying to turn him down politely. He wasn't old enough to drink yet.

Veneno seemed curious but didn't want to go anywhere without Ichigo by his side as his one best friend. He turned down the offer as well.

"Oh, well. That's alright. We should still hang out some time."

Veneno pointed to himself. "Me, too?"

"Sure, why not? You seem nice enough. I don't know why everyone's avoiding you."

Someone else who didn't mind being around him. Kira may have shown fear at first but after speaking with Veneno for a few moments, he realized there was nothing to be afraid of. It took some of the weight off Veneno's shoulders.

"I'll see you two later." Kira hurried off.

Ichigo and Veneno continued on their way. They passed by more people who cleared the hallway and ducked into different rooms as Veneno walked by. This time, Ichigo noticed that Veneno didn't seem as bothered by it as he was before.

Veneno's eyes wandered over to one of the women in the hall. Catching his gaze, she quickly hid herself behind a larger Soul Reaper. Veneno looked forward again. He had only looked in her direction because he thought she was pretty. He sighed. It was harder to get a woman's attention now that they knew he was an Arrancar. It was so much easier before.

"There he is!"

Veneno's body lurched forward as someone grabbed him from behind. It was a one-armed hug.

"Long time, no see!" laughed Shunsui. He lifted Veneno off the ground under his arm and set him back down. He pulled his arm away and patted him on the shoulder. "You look like you've got nothing better to do so why don't you join me for drinks?"

"I, uh..."

"Don't worry, I'll be the one drinking. Ichigo's invited, too. What do you say? Want to join me, my friend?"

Shunsui's voice carried down the hall and into the nearby rooms. Curious Soul Reapers poked their heads to to investigate while the ones in the hall gawked and murmured excitedly to one another. Their whispered words were like the hissing of snakes to Veneno's ears. He moved closer to the Captain without realizing it.

Ichigo knew Shunsui could be loud when he wanted to be but he didn't remember him being this loud. He made sure to speak loud enough for everyone to hear. Plus, he was showing Veneno more affection than he did before. Maybe he was already drunk.

"Come on, buddy. Let's go. It's a beautiful day outside. Nothing better than drinking with a good friend watching the clouds change shape under the sakura trees. The blossoms are just perfect today." Shunsui put his arm around Veneno's shoulders and led him outside with Ichigo close behind. The Soul Reapers watched them leave with opened mouths.

They joined Shunsui at one of his favorite drinking spots, under a pink sakura tree with a blanket already laid out with two large bottles and different sized cups. Shunsui made himself comfortable and invited Ichigo and Veneno to join him on the blanket.

They sat and watched Shunsui pour himself a drink.

"Sorry I had to be so loud before," he said in a much quieter tone. "I wanted to make sure everyone heard."

"Heard?"

"Yeah." Shunsui gestured to the building with his cup. "I saw how everyone's been staring at you and whispering. It's just because they don't know you. Rumors spread, people get their own ideas. People think we can't get along with each other..." He took a sip. "I figured if I showed them how we had already become friends they'd ease off on you a little bit."

"I get it," said Ichigo. "So if people saw him hanging out and having fun with a Soul Reaper and saw them having fun together, then they would realize there was nothing to be afraid of. Like the new kid at school. Everyone's too shy to talk to them because they're new and therefore different but once someone breaks the ice everyone will follow."

"That's right."

"Smart."

"Not really." Shunsui poured himself another drink. "I remember what things were like when I had classes. Of course, I wasn't exactly the shy type as Jushiro will tell you. I see it all the time, even now. Someone's got to break the ice. Now that people see an Arrancar getting along with a Soul Reaper, they know it's possible and shouldn't have anything to be afraid of anymore. They're just using that as their excuse. They don't really know why they're afraid of him so they're just using the Arrancar thing as their cover. They're nervous and don't even know why."

"Then why didn't they react that way when they saw Ichigo walking with me?"

"I guess it's because they figure you were always together anyway. Or maybe they thought Ichigo was just keeping an eye on you and that was it. I told everyone out loud that we were buddies. And that wasn't a lie." Shunsui peered over the rim of his cup. "You and I are friends, aren't we?"

Veneno looked down, biting his lip to keep from smiling.

"Besides, I'm a Captain. I guess they'll trust my judgment over anyone else's. I'm strong and supposed to tell what's a threat and what isn't. If they see me hanging out with you willingly they'll realize they have nothing to worry about and might even want to join in."

Shunsui had a very good plan. It made a lot of sense. Sometimes Ichigo forgot just how wise this seemingly lazy drunkard could be.

The Captain filled his cup and then one of the cups to his side. "Have a drink," he offered.

"No, thanks," Ichigo declined.

Veneno looked from Ichigo to the cup, unsure. He seemed reluctant to do anything Ichigo didn't.

"Come on, you're of age, aren't you, Veneno?"

"Uh..."

"Just a taste won't kill you." Shunsui held out the cup.

Veneno took the small cup in his hands, supporting it with his fingertips. He smelled the drink. It smelled strange. But he was used to strange smells so he didn't think much of it. He watched Shunsui drink his quickly and then pour himself another. It seemed unlikely that it was poisoned if Shunsui was drinking from the same bottle. It should have been safe enough. Veneno lifted the cup to his lips and drank. After his first swallow, Veneno threw the cup away, gagging.

Shunsui started laughing. "Not to your liking?"

"It burns like hell!" Veneno looked around for something to cool his throat and tongue. There was nothing but the bottle of firewater. "How can you drink that stuff? It hurts!"

"I guess it's an acquired taste," Shunsui laughed.

Ichigo started laughing as well.

"Don't laugh!" Veneno barked.

"It's funny."

"Oh, yeah? See how funny it is." Veneno poured Ichigo a drink and held the cup to his lips. "You drink it!"

"No!" Ichigo turned away, but he was still laughing.

"Drink it!" Veneno pressed the cup closer to Ichigo's face. "Drink it!"

Ichigo turned his head, pursing his lips together. Veneno climbed into his lap causing Ichigo to bend backward and pushed Veneno's arm away.

"Drink it and see how funny it is!"

"No, get away!" Ichigo laughed.

"What the hell's so funny?" Now Veneno was laughing, too. The drink sloshed all over Ichigo's leg and arm which only made Veneno laugh even harder. He quickly gave up trying to force the drink down Ichigo's throat, sitting back down on the blanket to laugh instead.

Now Shunsui was laughing, gesturing to the two boys with his empty cup. "You two sure are lively company. It's good to share a laugh with your friends. That's something I can toast to."

Veneno's laughter subsided and he sat watching the Captain pour himself another drink. Hearing the word 'friends' stirred up something inside Veneno he could not place. Was he relieved to hear that or was he angry? Confused by this, Veneno tried to make himself angry at the Soul Reaper Captain. How dare he make him feel this way. Yet, Veneno could not bring himself to do so. Why couldn't he get mad at him? Was he happy to hear him say that? Such a strange blend of emotions.

Maybe the Captain was just saying it to be nice. He probably didn't mean any of it. Yet when Veneno looked upon the Captain sitting across from him under the tree he could detect no deceit. His words were true. That only made Veneno feel even stranger.

Shunsui looked over Veneno's head and smiled. He nodded to whatever he was looking at and spoke to Veneno without looking at him. "Seems you have some admirers."

"Huh?" Veneno turned around. In the building behind them, numerous Soul Reapers had gathered to watch them from the windows. Some made no attempt to hide themselves when caught spying. Others ducked down or quickly turned away feigning innocence. The ones who didn't continued to watch from afar.

"Hello there!" Shunsui waved with his free hand. "Come join us if you wish! No need to be shy." He looked at the two boys. "Go on, wave. Wave to them."

Ichigo gave a small wave and put his hand down. Veneno held his arm up over his head and mirrored Shunsui's wave. The Soul Reapers in the window, including the ones who were still watching, flinched at his wave and quickly turned away. In a single moment, the windows were cleared of all prying eyes and hateful glares. Veneno lowered his hand and looked at the blanket.

"Oh, well. I guess they weren't interested." Shunsui reached for the bottle to pour himself another cup.

"It's my fault," Veneno said bitterly. "It's because of me they won't come. They ran away when I waved. They won't come down because I'm here which means you'll be shunned, too, because you're with me. They hate me. It's clear they don't want me around."

"Nonsense," Shunsui set the cup down. "What business is it of theirs what kind of company I keep? I'm with you by choice."

Veneno's gaze lifted at those words.

"I don't care what those people think and you shouldn't either. Not everyone has to like you, you know. You're pretty well off if you have a few people who care about you. As long as you have one, then you're doing good. They can't hate you if you haven't done anything away. And so what? I don't mind having you around. You're good company and I like you just fine. Would I have invited you if I didn't? You're more than welcome to join me any time you like. We don't have to drink if you don't want to. There's plenty else to do. I don't mind. I like having you around. It's just enjoyable to know you, and I'd like to know more."

Veneno's face had changed again. He looked shocked at first. Then his lips started to curl and his eyes sparkled with light. As soon as his upper teeth started to show, he quickly turned his head away and shut his eyes tight to hide the sparkle. "S- Stupid Soul Reaper! As if... as if saying that stuff matters to me! It doesn't make me happy in the least so don't bother."

But it did matter. As hard as Veneno tried to conceal it, he couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. He tried to force his lips down into a frown but they just wouldn't cooperate. Even as he said those words, trying to sound bitter and annoyed, it was clear in his tone that he was truly happy to hear it.

Shunsui hid his smile behind his raised cup. As he lowered it, he paused, frowning.

Ichigo felt it, too. A tremor went out, shaking them and the bottle on the blanket. "What was that?"

"Earthquake?" Veneno thought.

The ground shook again coupled this time with a loud crash. The trio turned, looking at the dust cloud rising into the air several streets over. Chunks of building fell to the ground, stirring up more dust.

Shunsui threw down his cup and jumped to his feet. He started running toward the destruction, holding his sheathed sword in in left hand. Ichigo and Veneno ran after him. "I have to hurry. That was Jushiro's office."

Ichigo and Veneno looked at each other worriedly.

By the time they arrived, Ukitake was already engaged in battle with a large Hollow. He quickly jumped from one broken piece of building to the next as he muttered to his sword. "All Waves, Rise now and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now and Become my Blade! Sogyo no Kotowari!" He begain to strike the Hollow with each sword, jumping from one place to another to hit it from different locations.

Ichigo wondered why he wasn't attacking directly at the Hollow's mask or chest, but soon discovered the answer why. No matter how many times he hit it, the Hollow was never hurt. It wasn't taking any damage, even from a direct hit. "Just like the other one..."

"Hang here for a bit," Shunsui told them. "I have an idea. I want to make sure I don't hit you two by accident." He quickly jumped off and disappeared.

Ukitake struck the Hollow again and again but nothing he did injured the Hollow. Now that the Hollow was on the offensive, he had to quickly jump onto a roof to avoid its swinging claws. The Hollow was misshapen but from the right angle, it looked a bit like a large sloth. Ukitake crouched on the roof to catch his breath.

"Need some help, Jushiro?" Shunsui landed beside him.

"It would be appreciated." Ukitake looked back at the Hollow attacking the wall. "No matter what I do, it doesn't get hurt."

Shunsui looked at the Hollow and nodded. "Maybe our attacks aren't strong enough separately. Let's attack together at the same spot."

"Alright."

Ichigo and Veneno watched the Captains attack the Hollow from behind. The Hollow barely noticed them. They tried a different attack next but that didn't work either. Ukitake fired off a round of kido but that had no effect either. Nothing they did was working. Ichigo forced himself to stay put. Maybe this was part of their plan? No, it couldn't have been. They were just trying anything at this point. No matter what they did, it just wouldn't take damage.

"Nothing's working!" Ukitake called from the Hollow's shoulder.

Shunsui's blade rose from the Hollow's shadow and went through its leg. There was no blood. The blade sank back into the shadow and the Hollow's leg wasn't even injured. "What the hell's this thing made out of?"

Annoyed at the Soul Reapers' attacks, the Hollow attacked. It swung at Shunsui first, then went after Ukitake. They both managed to avoid injury. They attacked using kido again but that only annoyed the Hollow further. This time when it swung its arm, it made a direct hit. Ukitake was slammed into the side of the building. His swords flew out of his hands and caught on a pipe sticking out from the hole where his office used to be. Ukitake fell to the ground with a thud.

"Jushiro!" Shunsui started making as much noise as possible, trying to distract the Hollow. He fired off a round of kido attacks to lure it away but the Hollow wasn't interested. It knew easy prey when it saw it. "Over here! Over here! Leave him alone! Hey, Jushiro, get out of there!"

Ukitake started to get to his feet only to stumble and fall. The Hollow raised its claws and swung straight down. Ukitake threw his arms over his head and waited for the attack to come.

From the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw Veneno dash forward toward the Hollow's claws. He stood in front of Ukitake and threw his sword over his head, blocking the attack. The Hollow's claws caught on his blade, never reaching Ukitake.

The Captain looked up, surprised and relieved to see Veneno standing before him. Veneno's knees bent, trying to support the weight of the Hollow's strike. His arms shook as he held back the Hollow's claws. Still, he managed to look down at Ukitake and speak to him. "You ok?"

"Yes, thank you."

Veneno's arms started to give as the Hollow pressed against his sword. He struggled to hold the Hollow back. Then, Veneno gave Ukitake a small smile. "If it's ok with you... I think I'd like to show you what I can do now."

Ukitake smiled back. "Go for it."

Veneno's smile widened ever so slightly, then quickly vanished as he tightened his grip on his sword. With a loud battle cry, Veneno threw the Hollow back with one hard push of his sword. He slid his right foot across the ground, changing his stance, then ran. He jumped at the Hollow's shadow and drew a line straight up the Hollow's stomach. It screeched as blood spattered the ground. It was injured.

In a flash, Veneno was gone and a new injury was inflicted on the Hollow's shoulder. Veneno reappeared for an instant then vanished again only to appear as blood began to spray from a new wound on the Hollow's back. He was just as fast as Ichigo had remembered him. Ichigo started to wonder if Veneno had trouble controlling his speed. He was landing blows but none of them were fatal. Could he not see where he was going when moving that fast? Or maybe he was just toying with it. He may have been showing off.

Enraged, the Hollow started swinging its arms, trying to slap him down like a buzzing fly. Veneno appeared again, taunting the Hollow. It roared and started to chase after him. Veneno hopped from one building to another, every now and then stopping to stab the Hollow's arms.

"I get it now," Ichigo realized. "He's luring it away."

Its arms were so long and heavy, every time it moved another piece of wall fell right where Ukitake was positioned. There were other Soul Reapers in that building as well. He was trying to protect them.

Now that it was further away, Veneno went on the attack again. He drove his sword into the Hollow's gut and sliced diagonally. The Hollow shrieked and swung its arms. Veneno jumped away and aimed for its neck. It was a direct blow but it wasn't enough to kill it. Veneno aimed for the hole just below its neck and slashed. Another direct hit but not enough to kill it. One more hit should do it. He pulled back to strike again.

Knowing where he was aiming, the Hollow made sure to stop him before he could carry out the attack. The Hollow's clawed arm caught Veneno in the back and slammed him into a building. It then dragged him down and drove its claws into his right arm, making sure he couldn't use that sword again.

The sound Veneno made as the claws pierced his flesh made Ichigo cringe. Veneno tried to pull away but the Hollow stomped on his arm again and again. Ichigo could hear his bones creaking and snapping. Veneno screamed in agony.

The Hollow paused only for a moment as the two Captains open-fired on the Hollow from the side. Their attacks were pointless. They wouldn't be able to help Veneno at this rate.

"Leave him be!" Ukitake stabbed the Hollow's mask with both swords, but the Hollow didn't feel any pain. Even if they couldn't cause any damage, the least they could do was distract the Hollow long enough for Veneno to get away.

Now angry, the Hollow turned its attention to the Captains attacking its mask. The Hollow gripped Veneno's arm tightly in its claws and swung him around like a rag doll, aiming for the Soul Reapers. On its final swing, the Hollow released him and Veneno flew in a straight line into the building at the end of the road and slumped down motionless.

Enraged by the violent assault, Ichigo unleashed his bankai and flew straight at the Hollow, screaming. His sword went through the Hollow's back and out through its chest along with Ichigo. Ichigo came out in front of the Hollow and saw where his attack had exited: the hole in the Hollow's chest. To make sure it was dead, Ichigo slashed the Hollow's mask and watched it shatter along with the rest of the Hollow's body, leaving no trace.

"Veneno!" Ichigo ran back to check on his friend. He found him in the same place he had landed. He wasn't moving. "Veneno! Are you ok? Veneno!"

"Easy, Ichigo," Shunsui stopped Ichigo from shaking the Arrancar. "You shouldn't move him after an injury like that. The guy's hurt real bad."

Ukitake agreed, looking over the body. "His arm should not look like this."

Ichigo looked at Veneno's right arm and gulped. His arm looked like a fluid-filled glove, sprawled out at different angles. A few small bones were poking out from his flesh near his elbow, halfway down his arm and between his fingers. His arm was completely shattered.

"He's still breathing... We have to get him help immediately." Ukitake looked around for a way to move him safely. He knew the Soul Reapers wouldn't bother to come all this way just to save an Arrancar, even on Captain's orders. No one wanted to help him. They were on their own. "We don't have any stretchers... We'll have to do our best with what we have on hand." Ukitake removed his Captain's jacket and laid it beside Veneno's body. "Shunsui, help me move him onto here."

"We'll have to make do with this." Shunsui carefully helped Ukitake move Veneno onto the jacket. "Ichigo, you take care of his sword. And while we're moving him, make sure his arm stays as steady as possible. We don't want to make anything worse." Shunsui wrapped his hands around the corners of the jacket while Ukitake grabbed the sleeves. "Ready?"

"Ready. And... lift." The Captains lifted Veneno off the ground using the jacket as a makeshift stretcher. They moved quickly with Ichigo running alongside them as they raced to the sickbay.

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	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**:

Ichigo watched as Unohana finished diagnosing the injured Arrancar in silence. Veneno had not regained consciousness since the attack. He watched Unohana perform different medical kidos on his injured body but he still wasn't waking up. Ichigo hoped he wasn't in a coma or worse.

As she finished bandaging Veneno's right arm, Ichigo dared to speak. "So... how is he?"

The Captain gave him a reassuring smile. "He'll be fine. His worst injury is his right arm. I've done all I can for now. It's still mending, but with any luck he'll be able to use it by morning with no lasting issues."

"That's good to hear."

"It's fortunate that he's an Arrancar. His healing ability is far above average for a Soul Reaper. It shouldn't take him that long to heal. With that and my treatment, he'll be just fine."

"Yeah..." Ichigo glanced over his shoulder toward the hall. Earlier, as they were bringing him into the sickbay, no one wanted to treat his wounds. Even when ordered to help by the Captains, the Squad members were hesitant and unwilling. As Unohana was treating him, the other Squad members verbally discouraged her from doing so. Their reasons were all the same. Because he was an Arrancar, he did not deserve treatment. They would rather have him suffer and possibly die rather than help him.

Ichigo clenched his fists which didn't go unnoticed by the Captain.

"Something bothering you, Ichigo?"

He looked up. "It's not fair," he told her. The image of Veneno's hopeful eyes and cheerful smile in his memory willed him to speak his heart. "He was injured and they wouldn't help him. You were the only one. Thank you for that. But... But they're only doing it because he's an Arrancar. They were fine with him before."

"Before they knew what he was."

He nodded. "I saw everything change. A week ago, he was having lunch with these people and having a great time and laughing together. They were friends. Today, those same people are avoiding him like he has the plague. Nothing's changed, but to them..."

"Sometimes giving something a title is enough to change how a person feels about the object," Unohana said. "That's why they say ignorance is bliss."

"But he hasn't changed from how he was with them. Just calling him an Arrancar is enough for them to... You know."

"Like I said, giving something a title is what people have a problem with. For example, if I were to give you a bowl of something and told you to eat it and you were to ask me what it was and I didn't tell you, you would be somewhat willing to eat it without concern. Now, if I were to do the same thing only I told you that you were to be eating a bowl of live worms and uncooked meat, would you be at all willing to eat it now that you knew what it was?"

"I guess you have a point. I know what you're saying. But still..."

"I know. It is rather unfair. No matter how much good he does, he will never be seen as anything but an Arrancar."

That was exactly how Veneno felt. That was what he feared. "I'm just watching it happen. It must be even harder for him since he's experiencing it first hand."

"It is a pity."

The door to the private room opened and the Lieutenant came in with a tray of supplies. Rather than walking straight to the bed, she walked close the the wall, avoiding it. She didn't want to get anywhere near the Arrancar.

"Thank you, Isane. Is this everything?" Unohana asked gently.

Isane nodded, keeping her distance from the bed. "Captain, everyone is talking about him. They don't feel comfortable having him here."

"As long as he is injured, he stays put. Our job is to heal and not to judge. Remember that, Isane."

"Yes, ma'am, but still..." She swallowed. "He's the reason we were hiding in that sewer a few months ago."

"That may be... but that is the past. If he is trying to do better, what right do we have to make it difficult for him? We should be encouraging his effort."

Why couldn't the others think the way Unohana did? Ichigo could tell that Unohana meant what she said. Ichigo could tell that Veneno was trying. The last thing he needed was for everyone to make an enemy out of him before anything started.

Unohana took something off the tray and moved closer to the bed.

"What's that?" Ichigo asked.

"It's a painkiller," she explained. "His healing process will be painful. His arm is still mending. When he wakes up, he'll be in a lot of pain, going through the worst part of it. I want to make him as comfortable as possible if I can."

Even unconscious, Veneno was frowning as if he were in a lot of pain. It would be a good idea to ease it as much as possible.

Veneno's eyelashes started to flutter. He was finally waking up. He opened his eyes slowly and his gaze traveled across the room, trying to decipher where he was. Things were still hazy for him. He could see the blurry outlines of people in the room with him. He squinted looking at the lights over his bed. He looked away, blinking to get his eyes to adjust. His blurry vision started to fade and he could make out things more clearly. He could see three people, there was white everywhere and lights. There was something moving towards him. Something sharp.

A needle.

"No!" he shrieked. "No!" Veneno started thrashing, trying to get away. He tried to knock the needle away with his injured arm and started kicking and screaming. "No, get away from me!"

Ichigo jumped up and held Veneno down, knowing why he was reacting this way. "Veneno! Veneno, calm down! It's ok! It's ok!"

"No! No!"

"It's me, Veneno! Calm down! It's alright! It's alright! You're ok! It's alright!"

Veneno's screaming turned to rapid breaths, backing onto his pillow. Ichigo could see his green eyes rapidly dart one way and then another, still frantic.

"It's me, I'm right here! It's ok. It's alright. You're fine. You're ok."

Veneno finally calmed his breathing to simple pants and gasps. Finding Ichigo's arm with his left hand, he squeezed like a child clutching his teddy bear. He had curled his legs up to his chest, making himself as small as he could and used Ichigo's arms as a shield.

"What the hell?!" he cried. "Keep that thing away from me! Don't come near me with that!" Veneno's eyes shut tight as he became aware of something else. "Ow! My arm!"

"That's why I was going to give you a shot," Unohana explained calmly. Apparently, she was used to patients freaking out during treatment. "I knew you would be in pain so I wanted to give you something for it."

"He has a phobia of needles," Ichigo quickly explained. "He's afraid of them since..."

"Explain no further. I understand. Mayuri will do that to you." Unohana looked at the Arrancar wincing in pain, holding his arm in his lap. "Are you sure you don't want something for the pain?"

"No, I'll deal with it. I don't want that needle anywhere near me."

"Fair enough. It's no problem if you change your mind. Just let me know." Unohana put the needle inside a small box and latched it and put it on the tray and took the tray out of sight. Only then did Veneno relax. "Just fair warning, you will be in a lot of pain for the next few hours while your arm finishes healing. It was a terrible break. Completely shattered. I couldn't count all the pieces, just to give you an idea of how bad it was. Naturally, the healing process won't be easy."

"I'll be fine."

"Yes, but even your healing will take time. I'm just saying."

Veneno kept his bandaged arm close to his body, showing her that he did not want that injection.

Unohana smiled sweetly at him, changing the subject. "But you're a real hero, I hear."

"I am?" Veneno seemed surprised.

"Yes. I had both Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku and Ichigo carried you all the way over here so we could heal your injuries. Captain Ukitake told me that you were injured protecting him."

Isane looked up in surprise. Ukitake wasn't the type to lie, especially about something so serious. Could this Arrancar have truly risked his life to protect the Captain's?

Veneno looked down as if it were no big deal but Ichigo could tell he was being bashful. "It... it wasn't like I did that much. He was just laying there so I decided to help. It's not like I care or anything."

"Regardless, you have his thanks and mine." Unohana turned to Ichigo. "He should rest here for the night. There's nothing more you can do here so why don't you return to the World of the Living? Your group must be worried."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Captain," Isane started to protest. "You said he'll heal quickly. Why does he have to be here? He can rest in his room."

"It's best that he rests here," Unohana explained. "If his pain gets worse, we won't be too far to treat him. It's quieter than his room, I'm sure. It'll be easier and better for him. He shouldn't move around much anyway."

Ichigo knew she was just using the arm as an excuse. When Unohana said that it was best for him to rest in the sickbay, it had nothing to do with his injuries. It was because of the other Soul Reapers. She was trying to protect him. Word had already gotten out about him entering the sickbay for treatment. There would probably be a herd of paranoid Soul Reapers waiting just around the corner to ambush him if he were to go back to his room. Here they could keep an eye on him and them.

"You're in good hands," Ichigo told him. "I might get in trouble if I'm away any longer. I should get going. You good?"

Veneno didn't want Ichigo to leave yet. He was still upset and needed a friend to comfort him. Reluctantly, he nodded and bid Ichigo farewell. "You'll come back to visit, right?"

"Of course I will. You'll be out of here by morning but don't worry, I'll find you."

Veneno smiled, keeping his eyes down. "Ok, then get lost, already."

"See you." Ichigo waved to Unohana and Isane. "Take good care of him, ok?"

"Don't worry about a thing."

As soon as Ichigo left, Veneno had a sad look in his eyes. Now he was left alone with two unfamiliar Soul Reapers who had access to needles. He griped the white sheets nervously. Even in a room full of people, he felt so alone. If the Soul Reapers were to attack him, it would be difficult for him to defend himself with his injury. He was in a weakened state.

There was a light knock on the door and it slid open. "Are visitors welcome?" asked a familiar voice. Ukitake entered the small room, holding something behind his back. "I just wanted to drop this off." He set a vase of flowers on the nightstand by Veneno's bed. "I wasn't sure what you liked, but I didn't want to show up empty-handed."

Veneno looked at the light blue vase holding a dozen colorful flowers. "Those are for me?"

"Well, you were injured on my account. I wanted to show my gratitude. It's also customary to give someone a gift if they are not feeling well. I get so many gifts from people when I'm under the weather, it feels good to give something back."

Veneno had never been given flowers before. He hadn't been thanked for saving someone from a Hollow either. He felt humbled.

"You should get used to it," said Unohana. "Captain Ukitake is always giving gifts to people. He's a very generous man."

"... Thank you..." Veneno said in a small voice.

Ukitake smiled. "You're welcome. I have a few minutes before I have to get back to work. My papers are buried under all that rubble so some members from my Division are helping me dig them out. The repairs should start soon. But as long as I'm free, would you mind if I keep you company? You seem lonely."

Veneno avoided Ukitake's eyes. "It's up to you. You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm not lonely."

Ukitake pulled up a chair and sat down.

Veneno smiled. The Captain was given a choice and he chose to stay with him. He wanted to be here. Veneno never asked him to keep him company, yet here he was. Veneno's chest felt warm. This was a rare moment when Veneno didn't care when Ichigo would be returning.

* * *

As the sun rose over New York city, the Soul Reapers started to gather their belongings for their departure. Victor prepared them one final breakfast and made sure everyone had everything they needed before leaving. They would be leaving for the Soul Society by the afternoon but everyone was encouraged to pack early.

Victor and Cedric seemed busier than usual. Maybe it was because there were so many people they had to assist as opposed to only caring for Linnette. Rangiku alone had boxes and bags towering to the ceiling in the upstairs bedroom in addition to her own luggage. They must have been trying to find a way to help her transport everything back to the Soul Society without making a second trip. Victor was making another grocery list, most likely to restock after catering to the extra company for the past week and a half. He kept running to the fridge to check on supplies. Every time he turned around, someone else had their hand inside, lessening their supplies.

"We're down to two eggs," Cedric told him after breakfast was finished and being cleaned up. "That won't be nearly enough, will it?"

"Not if Linnette wants scrambled eggs for breakfast in the morning. She loves those." Victor wrote it down on his list. "How's the milk?"

Cedric peeked inside the fridge. He pulled out the carton and frowned, giving it a hollow shake. "It would seem Ikkaku left us with an empty carton."

"At least he had the decency to put it back this time. I found it on the table last night."

"He could at least do us the favor of not putting an empty carton back in the fridge." Cedric flattened the container with his hand and tossed it into a plastic box under the sink which Ichigo guessed was the recycling. "Next?"

"I've added strawberries to the list. Linnette loves those."

"Chocolate dip?"

"Good thinking." Victor wrote on the notepad. "She prefers white chocolate dip for her strawberries. It will be a nice treat for her."

"Can I help with anything?" Ichigo asked. He felt guilty just standing around while these two worked alone. Even though he had been running off a lot lately, he was still a guest in their home. He should at the very least clean up after himself and help them out a little with the chores.

"No, we have everything covered. Feel free to offer Linnette some company. You'll be leaving shortly and I'm sure she'll miss you."

Victor had a point. He owed it to Linnette to spend some time with her at least. He went off to go find her.

As the hour of their departure creeped up, the Soul Reapers all did their part in making sure the house was left in proper order. Rangiku counted her bags for the tenth time and started to move them downstairs one by one. She wanted Ikkaku to help her carry her things but he had disappeared. She tried to find Ichigo, but he was using Linnette as an excuse not to assist with her belongings. Rukia was helping clean the house with Hanataro, feeling they should to their part to help with the cleaning. A good part of this mess was theirs and they knew for a fact that the others weren't going to clean anything. Byakuya and Yumichika had also disappeared so it looked like Rangiku was on her own. Even Cedric had vanished without a trace.

Downstairs, Ikkaku peered around corners, checking each room. He crossed the dining room and went over to the office. Victor was sitting at the desk, talking with someone on the phone. Ikkaku couldn't understand what he was saying. The conversation was in English. Still, Ikkaku had to act while he saw his chance. He knocked on the wooden door frame and stepped inside. Victor didn't look up or stop talking, but Ikkaku knew he had heard him. He stood in the middle of the office and waited for Victor to acknowledge him.

The phone conversation lasted longer than he expected. Ikkaku was starting to lose his patience. He had to do this before he changed his mind. "Ahem."

Victor continued talking, ignoring him.

Ikkaku frowned. He stepped forward. "Ahem!" When Victor still didn't look up, Ikkaku stood in front of him beside the desk, making it impossible for him to not notice. "Ahem!"

Victor kept his eyes on the corner of his desk, speaking with the person on the other end of the phone. Ikkaku didn't know what they were talking about but it couldn't have been that important. Ikkaku put his hand on the edge of the desk and leaned over.

"I said, ahem."

Still he was ignored. Temper this close to boiling, Ikkaku made sure he would have Victor's undivided attention. He reached over with his left hand and pressed the receiver, holding it down with his index finger and cutting off the woman's voice on the other end. Victor's blue eyes rolled upward, looking at Ikkaku without lifting his head. It made him look like an animal ready to attack though his relaxed posture and expression did not change.

"Now will you listen to me?"

Victor hung the phone up, pushing Ikkaku's finger aside. "May I help you?" he switched back to Japanese.

"Don't be a smartass."

Victor folded his hands in his lap and waited for Ikkaku to continue.

"We're going to be leaving in less than an hour."

"I'm aware."

"So..." Ikkaku swallowed his hatred and did what was only fair. "So I wanted to say something before we left. Thank you for letting us stay here and for your hospitality." Ikkaku lowered his head slightly in a bow but made sure he could still see Victor's face. He wasn't about to expose the back of his neck to this man, so it wasn't a real bow. Victor was lucky to get this much from him.

"You are welcome. Is that all?"

Ikkaku's eye twitched. "You know I don't like you and-"

"The feeling is mutual."

He stopped there. "Huh?"

"You heard me. I don't like you either. I never did. Since the first moment I saw you, I've strongly disliked you. Your attitude, choice of words, habits, your whole demeanor in general. You're the type of person I do not want around my little Linnette. You come off rather boorish."

"Hey, I know respect! At least I-"

"There's respect and then there's honor. I'm sure there are some things you would do when coming into another person's home... then there's how you behave when coming to this home. Your kind of respect has its limits when confronted with someone like me, to whom you have a history with, as brief as it may be. I've already decided that you did not like us so I can only imagine your discontent when discovering that you would be spending a good part of your time in our home with us in close proximity to you. Sort of like being in enemy territory, am I right?"

"Not exactly."

"But you do not like me and now you have no choice but to stay with me. You're less than happy about it. You may be willing to meet me halfway, but you will not go out of your way to make my life easier. You won't start any fights, but you will not thank my kindness either."

"I just showed you gratitude a second ago!"

"And it kills you inside, doesn't it?" Victor stood up. Ikkaku did not back up. He was already standing in front of Victor's chair when he was sitting. Now that he was standing, he and Ikkaku was toe to toe with each other. He was an inch or two taller than Ikkaku. He stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated by this man in white. "I know you are afraid of me."

"What?! I am not! Don't you insult me-"

"Whether you admit it or not doesn't make it any less true. You know that I am stronger than you. If I wanted I could snap your neck in two with no effort at all. You run at top speed but I will always be faster. No matter how much you train, no matter how strong you get, I will always be stronger."

Victor's calm voice sent a chill down Ikkaku's spine. Victor was absolutely right. He had to train everyday to get to where he was now. Victor always had it. He never had to train. His strength came naturally. He never had to try. It was always there and was always going to be there. Ikkaku knew Victor's strength surpassed even that of his Captain's. To make matters worse, there were two of them. Victor had a brother. Cedric was just as strong and just as fast. Whatever he could do, Cedric could do as well. They shared everything. It did frighten him. These two men were impossibly strong. They were always going to be better than him. They were always going to be a threat.

"You also understand that my actions are based on the whims of my little princess. If Linnette wishes it, for whatever reason, I could kill you. Of course, she doesn't have to order it. I wouldn't mind killing you. I don't like you so it's unlikely for me to ponder it. I would just do it because I wanted to. Just give me a reason and I will."

Victor reached forward and drew a line across Ikkaku's neck with his right hand. His fingertips brushed Ikkaku's throat like feathers. His hand fell to his shoulder and adjusted his shirt collar. His hand was barely touching him yet it felt as if Ikkaku was being pressed into the ground. He could sense his strength even through such gentle contact.

"Humans are fragile creatures. Soul Reapers are fragile, too, when you think about it. It would be very easy for me to kill you." Victor's hand left Ikkaku's shoulder. "But I won't."

"Because she hasn't ordered it?" Ikkaku breathed.

"Despite what you may think," said Victor, "we are capable of our own decisions. We do have free will."

"It doesn't seem like it. You cater to the whims of a little girl. You're practically slaves."

"Then you are a slave to your Captain. You follow his orders and do as he tells you. Yet you have free will, do you not?"

Ikkaku did not answer.

"Our relationship is complicated. How would you begin to explain it? She created me, therefore she is my mother. Yet we were created for a purpose. We take care of her as our child, therefore she is our daughter. Even she does not know how this happened, yet here we are. She created us. We live for her. We live because of her. We live to protect and love her. As intelligent as I may be, I still cannot explain what we are. We've wondered, we've debated. Finally, Cedric and I decided that it does not matter. We're here and we are who we are. Why do we need to know what we are? It won't change anything. Putting a label on us may be a nice identification, but it won't change what we are or who we are."

"Wouldn't it bring you peace of mind? To finally know what you are? You'd have your answer. You'll know. That way you can finally stop wondering. It would be nice to know so you'll no longer be a mystery."

Victor chuckled, amused. "That's what Cedric thought. He would come to me in the middle of the night and ask if I had any idea what we were. Ichigo is a human, Rukia is a Soul Reaper, those things in the masks are Hollows, Veneno is an Arrancar. But what are we? What would you call us? What is our identity? Where do we fall? He wanted to know that answer. We're clearly not human. We're not Soul Reapers or Hollows. What are we? We are just simply... Victor and Cedric."

For a moment, Ikkaku actually felt sorry for them. Just for a moment. It must have been difficult for them. Even lonely. They were two of a kind. The only two of their kind. They were Linnette's protectors, her creations, her family. That was their role but not what they were. It must have been frustrating for them. To go through life without an identity. If asked what they were, how would they answer?

"Cedric finally decided that he no longer needed to know. It would be nice to have closure... but it wouldn't change anything. We will still be Victor and Cedric and we will always be there for Linnette. We are her family and she is ours. We do not need any more than that."

Just as Ikkaku was starting to see these men in a different light, he forced himself to scowl. He did not want to give Victor the satisfaction of seeing him wearing a softer expression. He had his suspicions of Victor was well. Why would this man be so open with him? It may have been a trap to get him to drop his guard. "Expecting pity or something?"

"No." Victor smiled at him. "I just wanted you to know what you're hating."

Victor actually intended to share his personal background and thoughts with Ikkaku in hopes he would understand him a little better? Was that Victor's intention? Ikkaku wasn't sure what Victor meant, but he did not want to be played with. He roughly shoved Victor away with his arm, trying to get some distance between them. Victor didn't even stagger. He was rooted to the ground like a tree. He purposely stepped back to give Ikkaku the room he desired. However, this wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to push Victor aside to show him who was boss; that he wasn't going to be intimidated by this man. Instead, Victor stepped back on his own accord, which Ikkaku took as pity. It was like a mother pretending to be scared when her child played peek-a-boo with them.

This was why Ikkaku hated them so much. It wasn't just their devotion to a young girl or their unequaled speed and strength. It was the fact that they pitied those who were beneath them. Holding back their true power just so someone else could feel better about their own strength. It was like throwing a match because they didn't want to hurt their opponent's feelings. The only thing that was hurt was Ikkaku's pride.

"See? That's the kind of thing that pisses me off!"

Victor didn't say anything.

"I know I couldn't have pushed you back that easily, but you gave me an inch anyway. Don't do that."

"Why not? Wasn't it what you wanted? To push me away?"

"I'll do it with my own strength, my way, as I damn well please. I don't need your pity."

"So if you cannot do it yourself, it is not worth doing?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Ikkaku growled. "If you are in a battle and you win, you are the winner only if you truly defeated them in battle. You don't win by having the other person throw the match. It doesn't make you or anyone else stronger. Never hold back your true strength and power in a match. Not to make someone else feel better or to save their pride. You give it your all every time. When I push you back, I want it to be because I have the power to do it, not because you felt sorry for me and decided to let me have my way. I hate it when people hold back what they can do. If you have power, use it. It doesn't matter if-"

Suddenly, Ikkaku found himself in the air and his jaw was in pain. Victor was holding him off the ground by his jaw one-handed. Ikkaku grabbed onto Victor's arm with both hands to steady himself and to try to break free. It was useless.

"This is why I hold back," Victor said coolly. "Right now, at this very moment, I can count 78 different ways I can kill you. Just as we are now."

Pressure increased on Ikkaku's jaw and found it harder to breathe. Victor's hand wasn't near his throat, but he was still able to cut off Ikkaku's air supply by bending his head backwards.

"We hold back because we have to. If we did not, every time we hugged Linnette, she would be crushed. Every time we carry her, she would be crushed by the pressure from our speed. Everything we touched would break. Every human being we come across would be dead. I understand that giving up doesn't help anyone, but holding back helps people as well. If we did not hold back, so many people would be dead because of us. Some times it is better to hold back just to keep from being alone."

He was right. If these two didn't hold back, everyone they came across would be killed by their power. They would be alone either because they would end up killing everyone or because people would be too afraid to get near them. Now that he thought about it, Kenpachi did wear those restraints simply because he was too powerful. His Spiritual Pressure alone was phenomenal. No one would be able to get near him. He needed to keep his true power under control. These two must have had to do the same thing. It wasn't out of pity but out of necessity.

Victor dropped Ikkaku like a burning chunk of coal. He fell to the rug on his knees, taking deep breaths. Victor pulled him to his feet with the same hand he had used to drop him and held him close to his face. "Don't be so quick to judge, Ikkaku."

Taken by surprise, Ikkaku fumbled for an answer. Not by Victor's strength, but because this was possibly the first time he had ever addressed Ikkaku by name.

After he said that, Victor pulled away.

"Ikkaku? Ikkaku?" Yumichika popped into the room, head turning from left to right until he spotted his friend. "There you are. I was looking all over for you." He looked Victor and Ikkaku up and down. "Is something going on?"

"Nothing," Victor answered with a smile. "Ikkaku just came in to thank me for our hospitality. That's all."

"He did?" Yumichika looked at Ikkaku.

After a moment, Ikkaku nodded. "He did let us into their home so it's only right."

"Oh." Yumichika grinned. "Then it's only fair that I do the same." He lowered his head and bowed to Victor. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"You're quite welcome."

Yumichika picked himself up and motioned for Ikkaku. "Everyone's getting ready to go. We're leaving in a few minutes."

"Fine, I'm coming." Ikkaku followed Yumichika out of the room, making sure not to turn his back to Victor, even for a moment. Although Victor said he would not harm him unless he posed a threat to Linnette, he wouldn't put it past him because he openly admitted that he didn't like him and wouldn't show any hesitation.

"I'm surprised," Yumichika whispered as they left the room. "I thought you hated him."

"I do. But he did let us stay here so the least I can do is say thank you."

He grinned.

In the living room, everyone was bustling around, trying to get everything ready for their departure. There was a leaning tower of shopping bags and boxes Rangiku stacked in the middle of the floor which kept growing with each trip she made. Ichigo had a sinking feeling she was going to have him carry some of this stuff back for her. She bought them, therefore she should have to carry them. It was her fault for buying so much.

At the moment, Ichigo was left alone in the room while everyone else had scattered off. He didn't have much to take with him. He was given a plastic bag for his clothes, which was all he had really. He looked around the kitchen, wondering if he should take some food back for Veneno as he had been doing all week. He felt guilty, knowing that the Soul Reapers had practically eaten them out of house and home, so he didn't want to take anything if he didn't have to. Then again, Cedric was going to go shopping that day so maybe he could get away with taking something small.

"Do you have everything?"

Ichigo turned around and found Cedric staring at him from behind the tower of shopping bags. "Yeah." Ichigo held up his lone plastic bag. "I don't have much."

Cedric approached him. "Did you want anything for the Arrancar?"

He looked up, surprised. "You know I've been sneaking food to him?"

"I do now."

Ichigo chuckled at himself.

"Of course, I did have my suspicions." Cedric eyed Rangiku's bags as if he expected them to fall any second. "You know I don't speak very often. Not as much as Victor, at least. But that makes it easier for me to observe. I watch and listen. Not just to what people say but how they say it. Their actions, their tone. It's how I understand." He looked back at Ichigo. "I noticed you asking for food and not eat it. Things go missing at the same time you do. And there are times when you take food and then sit at the table and eat a large amount. That to me says that you have not been eating the food to take and are giving it to someone else."

"You caught me."

"It's fine. Linnette is the only one who eats in this house. Most of what you have taken are sweets and we limit how much she is allowed to have. It's not a problem."

"Thanks."

"With all the trips you keep making, I take it the Arrancar likes the food you bring him."

Ichigo didn't know what to say.

"I have to ask... After everything he's done, why do you insist on helping him? No one else seems to approve and has given up on him. They don't care."

"Well, I do."

"Why?"

"Why do you do things for Linnette?"

"Because I love her." Cedric didn't hesitate to answer. "Does this mean that you love the Arrancar?"

"No. But I do care about him."

"Why? Wasn't he an enemy?"

"Weren't you?"

Cedric didn't answer.

"Things change and so can people."

"But he is an Arrancar. Does he count as 'people'?"

"Do you?" Ichigo didn't mean to insult Cedric by bringing that up, but there was no going back after he said it. "I mean, you guys changed. You're not who you were before when Linnette was a rising star. You've improved. You've gotten better."

"And you're implying that the Arrancar has?"

"His name is Veneno and yeah, I do think he can change."

"For the better?"

"... He could."

"You paused."

"People can change for the better or for the worst. That's just a risk you take. A person can change. You just have to give him a chance."

"Do you think Veneno deserves a chance?"

Ichigo spoke his mind without even having to think about it. "I think he deserves a chance to live, which is something no one has ever allowed him before. All he's ever known is pain and fear and was never able to do the things most of us take for granted. He wanted to take a walk without looking over his shoulder for someone who wants to kill him. He wanted to take a nap out in the open, which is something's he's always been afraid of doing. Most of all, he's wanted to have someone to share all these things with him. He wants a friend. He's always wanted friends. That's why he cloned himself, so he could have someone to talk to, but as he said, it's no different from looking in a mirror. They're all him, so he already knows everything they are going to say, how they think and how they feel. It's pointless. Then he made the Hollow Reapers to get rid of his enemy and to have some companionship but even that didn't work out the way he wanted because they couldn't talk to him or do anything. The guy was practically going insane with that kind of life. The least I can do is be the one thing he's always wanted. I can be his friend."

Cedric listened to him without interrupting.

"He already had some sort of connection with me before, and since no one else is willing, I'll do it. Besides, once you get to know him, he isn't so bad."

"What is he, then?" Cedric asked.

"He's actually a pretty nice guy. I think he puts on a front because he's afraid and unsure. He still has fear and hatred, but I think he's starting to let go of that. I mean..." Ichigo tried to put it into words. "I mean... I saw two Venenos so far. I know the one that everyone's aware of, the one filled with fear and hatred which makes him do the things that he did before. And then I met the one who hasn't experienced the things that would make him hate so much. The Veneno I saw without memories... I think is the Veneno he would have been if we hadn't hurt him the way we did. That Veneno didn't know about the experiments or the pain or the loneliness. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he couldn't remember anything about his past. Other than that, he seemed pretty happy. He's a sensitive, nice guy."

"And now?"

"Now..." Ichigo thought back to how Veneno was behaving now that he has regained his memories. "Now I think he's conflicted between who he was back then and who he was when he didn't remember the pain. He's somewhere in the middle. If he can forget the horrible things that happened in his past, he would be like he was before."

"But the past effects personalities. What happened to you in the past made you who you are today."

"That's true. But..." Ichigo shook his head, thinking about how conflicted Veneno was. He was at war with himself. Should he be that Veneno or the other one? Who was he really?

"Personally," Cedric said, "I think Veneno has been given a great opportunity. Now he had experienced life two different ways. He has known Soul Reapers to be his enemy and he has seen them as his friends. This may be what's making it so difficult for him to judge. Neither one are lies, but he still has no idea what Soul Reapers are to him now that he has seen them in different light. He can't decide if they are still something to be hated or people he can actually get along with."

"Yeah, that's the problem."

"The Soul Reapers are probably going through a similar thing themselves."

Ichigo blinked. Cedric had a good point. Ichigo was so focused on Veneno's struggles that he hardly thought about how similar the Soul Reapers' were. Should they trust Veneno or not? He was their enemy before, yet they had been living with him all this time and never noticed that he wasn't one of them. It was the same thing. Veneno couldn't tell if Soul Reapers were still his enemy anymore than they could about him. The sides had lived together without issue. Now that the masks had been removed, now there was a problem.

"I can tell you care about him," Cedric said. "Everyone else has given up but you haven't. You're giving him a chance."

"I gave Linnette a chance."

Cedric smiled and approached Ichigo. He put a hand on his shoulder, lowered himself and touched his forehead to Ichigo's. "And it is because of that that we are here now."

Ichigo remained perfectly still. He could feel Cedric's strength and his warmth. A comforting strength, like that of a parent and protector. It had an odd way of making Ichigo feel safe. As if Cedric could deflect any danger that came his way so he was free to let down his guard. If this was the power he possessed, it was no wonder Linnette clung to him so. At the same time, it reminded Ichigo that this strength could be used against him if he was deemed the enemy. Comforting as well as threatening. It was a strange combination.

Cedric pulled back and gave Ichigo a pat on the shoulder which nearly knocked him over. The pat was gentle, but Ichigo was weakened by what had just happened. When Cedric had touched his forehead to Ichigo's, it made him feel like a child again. It also took him by surprise. Cedric had never done that before. It was the closest he had ever come to showing someone other than Linnette affection. It wasn't meant to be affectionate, though. It was a way for Cedric to let Ichigo know that he accepted him. It was also his way of showing gratitude.

"Come on! Why not?" Rangiku's whiny voice came from the stairs and both Cedric and Ichigo looked up.

Byakuya led the group down the stairs with an annoyed expression on his face, Hanataro and Rangiku in tow. "It is no fault of mine you purchased more than you could carry back with you."

"Aw! But that's not fair! I can't leave my stuff behind. Say, Hanataro, would you-?"

"Carry your own things," Byakuya interrupted. He crossed the room and stopped to speak with Cedric for a brief moment. "Everything has been taken care of upstairs."

"So the odd machine in the playroom is gone?"

"Yes. Everything is as it was before, just as I found it."

"Thank you."

Byakuya looked around the room, trying to find the rest of the group. Ikkaku and Yumichika came in through the dining room together, which only left one person. "Where is Rukia?"

"Right here, brother." Rukia came in from outside with Linnette. Why they were outside no one knew, but Ichigo suspected the two of them had been playing one final game together.

"Do you have everything?"

"Yes, brother. I'm ready."

Byakuya gave one final look around to make sure everyone was present. "Good. We'll be leaving now."

Linnette tugged on Ichigo's arm. "Do you guys really have to leave?"

"We've been here over a week," commented Ikkaku. "Aren't you sick of us yet?"

Linnette ignored him, keeping her eyes on Ichigo. "You can't stay one more day? Or two?"

He gave her a gentle smile and patted her head. "I guess not. Byakuya and everyone's been ordered to go back. They'll get in trouble if they don't return soon."

"Can't you stay?"

"I think I have to go with them. Sorry."

Linnette looked down sadly and slowly released her grip on his arm. "Oh. Ok."

Ichigo didn't mean to get her upset. He tried to find words that would offer her a little comfort. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon. We keep running into each other, after all. Don't worry. I still have all the letters you sent to me. I'll write to you if you write to me."

It offered little comfort, but she managed a smile.

The Senkaimon opened in the center of the living room and Byakuya started to lead everyone through it. "Let's go."

He suddenly stopped when he saw Victor standing nearby. They looked at each other for a long time and then nodded. It was as if they were having a silent conversation. Then Byakuya turned and entered into the dark portal connecting them to where they needed to go.

Rukia quickly bowed to Victor and hurried after her brother. "Thank you for everything!"

Hanataro bowed as well. "Thank you so much."

Yumichika and Ikkaku entered after him without bowing, having already said their thanks.

"Isn't anyone going to help me carry this stuff back?" whined Rangiku. "I can't carry it all."

"You should have thought of that before you bought it," yelled Yumichika and Ikkaku in unison.

She whined and grabbed as many as she could and dashed into the Senkaimon.

Ichigo started to follow, pausing to say good-bye to Linnette and her guardians. "Thanks, guys."

"Linnette would love for you to stay one more day," mentioned Cedric.

"I know. Sorry."

"Don't forget to visit me!" Linnette chirped, holding onto Cedric's arm with both hands.

"I'll see you real soon, ok?"

Satisfied with that answer, Linnette waved with a smile on her face. "Bye, Ichigo!"

"Bye! See you." With that, Ichigo jumped into the Senkaimon after his friends and the living room disappeared behind him.

* * *

Hours passed and the sun slowly sank behind the walls of the Seireitei, painting the buildings yellow and orange. Veneno laid in bed watching from his window. Ukitake had left his side after chatting with him for twenty minutes. After that, he didn't have any other visitors. It was quiet and peaceful, but he couldn't rest. The pain in his arm kept him up, throbbing and stinging. No matter how many times Unohana offered him painkillers, he refused. He would rather have the pain than face a needle.

He also didn't feel comfortable enough to sleep. He was vulnerable in this room. He didn't feel safe. To escape this feeling, Veneno piled the pillows on either side of his head to act as walls. He felt a little more protected. He felt a little claustrophobic, but he felt more secure now that he no longer felt exposed. It was a security issue. The pillows would protect him and make him feel secure, even if it was only around his head.

While he lay in bed, he attempted to sort out some of these conflicting feelings he had been having. The one he was focusing on right now was a confusing issue. While he didn't want to sleep with someone around out of fear that they would attack him while he was helpless, he also wanted someone there so he didn't feel so alone. It was contradictory. If people were around then he would be in danger. If they were around, he wouldn't be lonely and they may offer to help him if he were in danger. He didn't know what to do.

Even now, he could still hear the whispers of the Soul Reapers. What if they came into his room and attacked while he lay in his hospital bed? He was injured. He couldn't move his right arm and he couldn't attack in this weakened state. He was ample prey for paranoid Soul Reapers.

The door slid open and Veneno flinched. He pressed his head into the mattress, trying to hide behind the pillows. Of course he knew it wouldn't help much with the rest of him exposed.

Whoever had come in was certainly taking their sweet time getting to his bed. He could hear them taking slow, soft steps, sneaking their way into the room. One small step after another, they approached. He listened, hoping it wasn't an attacker. A head came into view over his pillows from the foot of his bed. It was the Lieutenant of this Squad. She was keeping her distance as she had since his arrival.

When she caught his eyes upon her, she jumped back into the wall. "Oh!" she gasped. "I- I didn't know you were awake..."

"Well, I am."

Isane slid her back along the wall, coming over to the other side of the bed. "My, uh, Captain asked me to check up on you."

"Ok." Veneno looked out the window, keeping watch over her out of the corner of his eye.

She approached the bed. "How... How's the pain?"

"Bad."

"Is it keeping you up?"

"Yeah."

"Would you like the medicine to take the edge off?"

"No."

"Oh. Ok. Alright."

Veneno knew she was supposed to do something else but she wouldn't get any closer. She took a seat near the window and kept an eye on everything from there. He could see her shaking hands writing things down on a clipboard.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked.

She stopped writing and looked up. Veneno wasn't looking at her but she knew he expected an answer. "Well... honestly... yes."

Veneno swallowed.

"I am afraid of you."

"Why?"

Isane took her time in answering. "Well... You're an Arrancar."

"That's why?" Veneno's voice didn't show it, but inside he felt a pain in his chest.

"Well, after what you did, how could I not?" Now she was speaking without hesitation, motivated by anger more than fear at this point. "That stunt you pulled... We had to flee for our lives. Friends were attacking friends. It was pandemonium. People were in pain and afraid. Turning the people we care about into Hollows. It was horrible having to watch that. We had to hide from the ones who have turned and live in fear of who could be next. I mean, do you have any idea what it's like to watch your friends turn into monsters before your eyes and attack you? Do you know how horrible that is?"

"No. I wouldn't know," Veneno answered. "I've never had friends."

Isane was taken aback my his answer. "Never?"

"No. That's why I tried to make my own."

Isane started to understand. "You mean... The reason why you did that was... You were making friends? That's why you turned them into Hollow Reapers?"

"I didn't want to be lonely anymore."

She felt sorry for him. "So that's why you did it..."

"It wasn't the only reason," he said. "You're not the only one who's afraid."

"Hm?"

"I'm afraid of you."

"Me?" Isane gave an amused chuckle. "Really? Why?"

"Because you're a Soul Reaper."

"So?"

"So I'm an Arrancar."

Isane's smile vanished. "Oh."

"You're an enemy. You want to kill me. I'm lonely. The best way I could get you to not hurt me and to be my friend was to do what I did."

"That's silly. You didn't have to turn people into Hollows. You could have gained our friendship without having to resort to that."

"You don't want to be my friend now."

Isane stopped. She didn't know what to say to that.

Veneno winced, the pain in his arm getting worse. Unohana warned him that it would be excruciating.

"Are you sure you don't want the shot?"

Veneno shook his head from side to side. "No. I hate needles. I was tortured with them in that lab."

Isane sat back down.

Veneno panted, waiting for the pain to subside. "It's not fair. To bring me back into the world only so I can be alone."

"You don't have to be," Isane said.

"Oh, please. No one wants to get near me. Soul Reapers avoid me like I have the plague. They're afraid of me. Even you admitted to that. What does it matter anyway? I'm an Arrancar. I'm the only Arrancar here. I am all alone."

Veneno shut his eyes and the pain intensified then slowly died away into a constant throbbing. He opened his eyes again, small tears clinging to his lashes.

"They didn't mind being around me when they thought I was like them. I dress like a Soul Reaper and live among them and they think I'm one of them. Only then was I welcomed. Once they found out the truth, they avoid me and whisper about me. They're afraid of me."

"Based off of the past..."

"No. It's not that. It's me. What I am. I'm an Arrancar. That's why. They were fine with me before but now that they know what I am, things are different. I'm not doing what I did before but I'm still feared. I'm still alone. I'm trying to do better. I'm doing things different. And still they hate me. They still look upon me with fear no matter what I do. When I have done nothing to harm them, they fear me. I've done nothing and I'm hated. No matter how much good I do, no matter how much I try to help people, they still hate and fear me. It's not who I am, it's what I am. I'm not a Soul Reaper. They can never accept me. My actions mean nothing. I've tried to change and be better. I'm trying to be a better person. But the one thing I cannot change is what I am and that is why they hate me so. I am an Arrancar... and I will always be an Arrancar."

Isane truly felt sorry for him. She was ashamed at herself for how she felt before. She was acting on fear because he was an Arrancar. She even confessed that was the reason she feared him. It was because he was an Arrancar. No matter how hard he tried to be a good person, no one would ever see him as anything but an Arrancar. She felt his pain. She felt his hopelessness. He was trying as hard as he could and no one would accept him.

"I was given a second chance. That's what I was told. But no one will give me one. I helped save that Captain, and they're still whispering about me. I helped protect them and I get attacked. I'm trying, but it's pointless. No matter what I do I will always be hated. They're afraid of me and I'm afraid of them because of that fear." Veneno's voice changed slightly, as if he were holding something that kept stinging him. "It's not my actions. It's me. The reason they hate me is the one thing I can never change, no matter how much I do. I will always be hated and feared. No matter what. No matter how much I try, how much good I do... It doesn't matter. Soul Reapers will always hate and fear Arrancars."

Isane moved closer and touched his chest with her fingertips. "I'm afraid of Arrancars. But I'm not afraid of you. Not anymore."

Veneno's green eyes fell on her and now she saw why his voice had sounded so strange. He was fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have judged you like that. It's my fault. I should have gotten to know you."

"What does it matter?"

"How many of those whispering Soul Reapers have come in here and spoken with you?"

"... None."

"I think if they actually took the time to get to know you, they'll forget their fear and no longer hate you."

"They didn't hate me before. It's like I said. It's me being an Arrancar that's why."

"Captain Ukitake and Unohana have been in here visiting with you and they know you're an Arrancar and they're not afraid of you. They don't hate you. And neither do I anymore."

Veneno searched her face for any signs of falsehood. There were none. She wasn't afraid of him anymore and now that she wasn't afraid to come closer, he could see what a friendly face she had.

"I just want what everyone else has."

"You do have friends. Ichigo and Akon. Ukitake seems to like you, too. To them, I don't think it matters. You being an Arrancar or not. They trust you. They like you."

Veneno looked away. "You trust me?"

"Sure."

"How? And why?"

She couldn't come up with an answer.

"You just do?"

"Well... I trust that you wont hurt me."

"Why?"

"Because you said that you're trying to do better. If you really mean it, then..."

The pain in his arm throbbed again. It kept stinging. Constant pain.

Veneno kept his head turned as he spoke. "I... think I'll take that shot now."

"Really?" Isane was so surprised.

"Quick before I change my mind."

Isane ran and grabbed the painkiller from the tray. She read the label to make sure it was the proper medicine and checked that it was the correct amount. She came back to the bed. "Ok."

As she removed the cap, she noticed that Veneno had his eyes shut tight, turning away from where she sat with the needle. His upper teeth were biting into his lower lip, expecting horrendous pain. His left hand balled into a fist and he whimpered. It took everything he had to remain still on that bed.

"Ok. All done."

His eyes snapped open. Huh?"

"All done."

He turned his head. "That's it? Didn't you use the needle?"

Isane held up the empty needle. "Yes. Why? Something wrong?"

He looked at his arm but couldn't find anything amiss. "I didn't even feel that."

"Our needles are thin. They shouldn't hurt took much."

"In the lab... then the needles were gabbed into me..."

"Oh, well, that's them. We try not to hurt anyone if we can avoid it. Besides, this is medicine. It's supposed to help you feel better. We're not experimenting on you, we're trying to help you." Isane smiled. "So, did it work? How do you feel?"

Veneno studied his arm and smiled faintly. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

It didn't hurt anymore.

* * *

Isane closed the door behind her as she left Veneno's room. She was surprised by how pleasant their conversation had gone. She wasn't expecting Veneno to be so... She couldn't describe it. Somehow during their conversation, she had forgotten that she was talking to an Arrancar. It was perfectly understandable why so many people would not notice. Their conversation had also hit her hard with a sense of reality and guilt. She had never considered an Arrancar to have personal feelings like a Soul Reaper, or anyone else for that matter. Veneno had shown to be a real person with real feelings and fears. She had never considered the possibility that an Arrancar might be afraid of Soul Reapers. Hearing his perspective of them had changed her perception of him. All this time she thought he was the one to be hated and feared. Now she saw that it went both ways. He thought they were the ones who needed to be feared and hated and he managed to support his reasoning with several examples. She was wrong to judge him without knowing all the details. He wasn't as evil as she thought he was in the beginning.

"Lieutenant!" several Squad members hurried down the hall towards her. "There you are! You said you were going to check on something for a minute but that was half an hour ago. We thought something had happened to you."

"No, I'm fine. Why would you think that?"

"Because you said you were going to check up on the Arrancar in that room. When you didn't come back..."

"Yeah, we thought it might have attacked you or something."

Isane blinked. They thought Veneno had hurt her because she was gone longer than expected?

The Soul Reapers nodded their heads, agreeing with the woman who had spoken up. "We also know how you felt about this. You sided with us and wanted to refuse treatment. Unohana was the one who forced you to."

"I wasn't forced. I was allowed to say no, but..." Isane knew there was no way to explain it. Not in a way that wouldn't make it sound like she was forced, anyway. Usually if the Captain wanted something done, no one had the right to refuse her will. As Captain, she had the authority.

"Why are we treating the Arrancar anyway? After what's happened in the past, we're seriously helping it?"

"But you guys heard the rumor. And Captain Ukitake said so himself so it's been confirmed."

"What has?" Isane asked.

The Squad members turned to her. "Captain Ukitake was here before saying that he was going to visit the Arrancar to thank him for helping him. It's only in the sickbay because it got injured protecting Captain Ukitake. That was the rumor, at least. But the Captain told us that it's true. That's how it happened."

"But I don't see why an Arrancar would want to do that. Why would it help a Soul Reaper? It doesn't make sense. But if the Captain confirmed it, it must be true."

"But there's another rumor that the Arrancar has been bringing in those Hollows that keep attacking at random. If that's true, then why would the Arrancar be trying to help fight against them and even go out of its way to protect a Soul Reaper Captain? It doesn't make any sense."

Isane knew she would have been wondering the same thing and would have shared in their disbelief and fear if it weren't for her conversation with Veneno. She also couldn't help but notice that they kept referring to the Arrancar as 'it'. This bothered her slightly and she couldn't understand why.

"It doesn't matter," said one of the Squad members, then looked at the Lieutenant. "Are you alright? The Arrancar didn't hurt you when you went in, did it?"

"No, of course not." Isane had to laugh at that. "Why would you think that?"

"Because it's an Arrancar. Besides, you're just as scared of it as we are."

Isane paused. "I was... but not anymore."

"What?"

"I said I'm not afraid of him anymore."

"Why not?"

"Did it threaten you, Lieutenant?"

"No, nothing like that," Isane told them honestly. "We had a very nice conversation and it turns out that he's a really nice guy. I was kind of surprised."

"The Arrancar? A decent guy?" The others couldn't hide their skepticism.

"Yeah. I mean, didn't at least a couple of you get along with him before?"

"Not really. Well, we never actually met it before. Maybe, but it was dressed as a Soul Reaper so we thought..."

"But you have said hello to him before, haven't you?" Isane pressed. "And his name is Veneno. You can stop calling him an 'it'."

"Even if we did see him about before and said hi to him, that was before we knew what he was."

"So now that the masks have been removed you can't get along with him? Everything has to change?"

The Squad members looked at each other, unsure. "Well... it's an Arrancar."

"I know. I felt the same way until I talked with him and realized that he's not so bad."

"But it's an Arrancar," one of them complained.

"Have you actually talked to the guy?" Isane asked.

The Squad member didn't answer.

"Everyone managed to get along with him just fine before. He's never really changed from the Soul Reaper we thought he was. But now that we know he's really an Arrancar, that has to change?" Isane felt foolish for how she felt before. Now she was starting to sound like her Captain; who actually wasn't wrong in her reasoning. "I sat now with him and realized that he's a decent person. It's actually us he's afraid of."

"He is? Why?"

"Because everyone's afraid of him and hates him, and just when he thought he had met people who could be his friends, we turn away from him and plot to kill him when his back is turned. He's heard people whispering about him and everyone here wanting to refuse treating him. And everyone pointing out that he's an Arrancar all the time, and what Soul Reapers do with Arrancars."

"Well, that's... Um..." They couldn't argue. Isane could tell they were starting to feel ashamed from the regret in their eyes. Isane didn't need to explain any further.

"I think," Isane went on, "that if we ignore the fact that he's an Arrancar, everything will be as it was before. Personally, I don't think you have any right to hate him until you've actually met him. Then you can judge him all you like."

The Soul Reapers looked at each other. They still looked unsure but knew their lieutenant had a point. They didn't even know what they were hating and fearing so much. Isane was correct. Many Soul Reapers seemed to get along fine with the Arrancar before.

Isane started walking away, then stopped and looked at a cart of medical supplies. She started thumbing through them for no apparent reason. The Squad members looked at each other again. Nodding their heads in silent agreement, they quietly approached the door to the Arrancar's room.

Veneno looked up and saw four Soul Reapers enter his room with held breath. They kept their distance and kept the door to his room open, as if for a quick escape. He stayed in his bed, holding his bandaged arm in his lap. None of them seemed to have weapons so they might not be planning to assassinate him.

"Uh..." squeaked one of the smaller women. "Did you want some company?"

Veneno shrugged. "Do what you want."

Some started to move towards the door. Veneno's eyes fell. The sadness in his eyes caught their attention and they stopped.

"I guess we could talk for a little bit..."

Veneno glanced up.

Outside the door, Isane listened. It was slow going and clumsy, but it was a start.

* * *

So much in this chapter.

What went on between Ikkaku and Victor... Emotions from Veneno... T^T

Please review! ^-^


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28:**

The Seireitei hadn't changed at all. Ichigo squinted in the morning light, suddenly thrown back in time. It was late afternoon when they were leaving the World of the Living.

"Well, I'm off," announced Ikkaku.

"Where are you going?" asked Rukia.

"I'm going to check in with my Captain. We've been gone a long time. Besides, I want to see what the others are up to at the training hall. I hope they haven't been taking it too easy without me around to whip them into shape."

"I'd better go, too," said Yumichika. "Might as well, since we're going the same place. See you all later."

Rangiku looked down at the few bags she managed to bring back with her and sighed. "My Captain's bound to want to see me, too. But I should really drop these off before I do that. I would also like to rest a bit before getting back to work... and there are a few other things I need to do first."

Naturally, she was trying to avoid going back to the office and making up all the paperwork she had missed. Everyone knew that and chose not to call attention to it.

Ichigo looked from left to right, figuring out where he should go from here. "I'll see you guys later." Before anyone could stop him, he took off down the nearest street.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called after him but he was already gone.

"Rukia."

She turned to Byakuya. "Yes, brother?"

"You should check in with your Captain as well. Let him know you're back."

"Yes, brother." Rukia nodded her head.

Byakuya started toward his Division. There was bound to be a mountain of paperwork waiting for him.

Ichigo didn't know where he was going. The Seireitei was like a maze. Veneno must have been out of the sickbay by now. The only likely place Ichigo figured he would be was the Department of Research and Development. He was pretty sure he knew where that was. He wanted to make sure Veneno was doing ok. Judging from how the majority of Soul Reapers were behaving, he half expected Veneno to either be dead or in prison. As long as the Soul Reapers didn't do anything rash, Veneno wouldn't have a reason to turn violent. At this point, that was all Ichigo could hope for.

"Sneak attack!" Someone jabbed Ichigo in the back.

"Ow!"

Veneno jumped out from behind Ichigo, laughing. "Got you!"

Ichigo brushed it off. Veneno playing with him was a good sign. "I see you're feeling a lot better."

"Yup." Veneno held up his arm, twisting it back and forth and flexing his fingers. "All healed."

"That's good to hear."

Veneno punched him in the arm as if to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that his arm was entirely healed. This time Ichigo swung back. Veneno easily blocked his fist and stepped to the side, his other arm wrapped around Ichigo's neck. "Don't mess with me. You know I can take you."

Ichigo smirked. "I must remember our last fight all wrong. Who won that again?"

"You know I beat you all those other times."

"The final match settles it and decides the winner."

"It does not!" Veneno shoved Ichigo away. "The better warrior is the one who wins the most."

"The deciding battle is the last one. Everyone knows that."

Veneno rolled his eyes. "I can kick your ass and you know it."

The two walked down the street together until they reached an open area. There were Soul Reapers passing through and some who were using the area to read or chat. Ichigo grew concerned as a small group passed them by. Surprisingly, they didn't glare at Veneno or try to avoid him. In fact, they waved and Veneno waved back. Ichigo was relieved. It seemed some Soul Reapers had gotten over their uncertainty and accepted Veneno.

"Any problems while I was gone?" Ichigo asked after the group had passed them by.

"Not really. No one tried to kill me, if that's what you mean."

"More or less."

Veneno looked up. "One second." He dashed ahead and trotted beside a Soul Reaper with long white hair. Veneno was smiling at him and saying something. Ukitake smiled back and reached into his sleeve. He handed Veneno something which he took with both hands and smiled wider. Ukitake waved to him and went on his way.

Ichigo hurried to Veneno's side and looked at the object in his hand. It was a chocolate bar. Ichigo grinned.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What? He gives me candy. So what?" Veneno was already fighting with the wrapper.

"Whatever. I'm just glad your making friends, that's all."

Veneno stopped pulling at the wrapper and looked up at Ichigo. "He's not my friend."

"Hm?"

"I said, he's not my friend." Veneno was being serious. "None of them are."

Ichigo frowned. "But you seemed to get along with some of them and they were nice to you."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make them my friend. Just because they're nice to me and give me stuff."

"Don't you like them?"

Veneno shrugged. "I like Ukitake because he gives me candy and he's nice enough. But he's not my friend. None of them are. They're Soul Reapers."

"Are you going to start that again? I told you before, if I can be friends with humans, Soul Reapers, Quincies, Vizards and Arrancars, you can, too. There's no reason why you can't."

"There is a reason. They're Soul Reapers and I'm not. We can never be friends. That's just how things are."

"It doesn't have to be."

Veneno shook his head. "It is. Soul Reapers kill Hollows. I am a kind of Hollow. Arrancar or not, I'm still a Hollow. We're enemies."

"But you're getting along fine with them and they seem to have warmed up to you."

"We're still too different. At this point, the only reason why we seem to be getting along is because they have no reason to kill me yet and I'm using them."

"Using them?"

Veneno held up the chocolate bar. "They provide me with food and shelter. If I behave they won't kill me. And because I need them to provide such things for me, I won't hurt them. Besides, if I did try anything, they would kill me and I won't risk that. There's nothing further to the relationship than that."

Ichigo couldn't believe that. "So you're telling me, you don't feel anything toward Soul Reapers other than what they can do for you?"

"I don't know what other kind of relationship there is."

"It's not just what can they do for me," explained Ichigo. "Sometimes you go out of your way to help someone because you care about them."

"I helped that Captain because he supplies me with candy. If I lost him, I would lose a resource."

Ichigo knew that wasn't the reason. He helped protect Ukitake long before he knew of his generosity and candy stash. Whatever real reasons he had for doing what he did, Veneno was denying. Even from himself.

"You care about others not because they can do something for you but because you really actually care about them."

"Why?" Veneno couldn't grasp such a thing. "Why would you care about someone if they had nothing to offer you?"

"That's what friendship is. You care and not because you have something to gain. You genuinely care about the other person."

Veneno still couldn't understand that.

"I told you before, I'm here with you now because I want to be and not because I have something to gain. Whether you want to believe it or not, it's because I care about you."

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend and I think you deserve a chance to be happy. You said you always wanted a friend. Did you not know what one was?"

Veneno didn't answer him right away. He seemed to be thinking about it. "I just didn't want to be alone. I wanted to be with someone who can make me happy."

"Someone who cared about you and would help you?"

Veneno avoided Ichigo's eyes.

Maybe he was trying to convince himself that friendship between Soul Reapers and Arrancars was impossible. Maybe he still didn't understand.

"You and I can be friends, Ichigo," said Veneno. "But that's because you are also part Hollow. We can understand and trust each other. We can be friends. But with Soul Reapers... that's impossible. We can never be friends."

"But-"

"We're too different. I'm too different. Sometimes you have to stick with your own kind. Either way, I know I can't be friends with them because I don't care about them the way you say I should. To me, it's what they can provide for me. Once they can no longer do that, I move on to someone else who can. There can be no deeper relationship than that. I just... I just don't care about them. Not the way you say I should."

Once their usefulness was over, he would find someone else. Once they outlived their purpose, they became meaningless. It was like a toaster. As long as it toasted bread, it had importance. It was serving a purpose. Once it broke down, it was time to get a new toaster. There were no personal attachments. As long as it served its function, that was it. That's all that mattered.

As Veneno saw it, people were no different. He should only care as long as they were useful to him. If they provided him with food, then he cared. Once they could no longer supply him with food, he would move on to someone else who would.

It seemed to Ichigo that Veneno was still having problems with personal attachments. Maybe he was denying it or maybe he truly couldn't understand the concept. This was something Ichigo couldn't teach him. Veneno had to figure it out for himself.

* * *

Byakuya returned to his office in silence. Squad members bowed, welcoming their Captain. He opened the door to his office and stepped inside. Sure enough, there was a pile of paperwork waiting for him on his desk. It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Perhaps Renji helped file part of the pile.

He crossed the room and looked out the window. There was little activity near the building. It was quiet for the most part, which he liked. Something caught his attention. Two people were passing under the window, laughing. It was Ichigo and Veneno. They appeared to be teasing each other but Byakuya couldn't tell for certain. Veneno shoved Ichigo with his arm as if attempting to knock him down. Ichigo said something back and Veneno started laughing again. Then Ichigo pointed and Veneno turned. While his back was turned, Ichigo jabbed him back. Veneno yelled something to him, but was still laughing by the looks of it.

Byakuya frowned. Veneno was an Arrancar and he was their enemy only a few months prior. Now he and Ichigo were getting along just fine. Almost like friends. Going on appearances alone, Veneno didn't seem to have any ill will against him or other Soul Reapers. His intention could have been different, but at the moment, he didn't seem like much of a threat. If Ichigo could trust him...

"Captain, you're back."

He turned around. "Renji."

"When did you get back? Just now? Rukia, too?"

Byakuya's face remained expressionless. "Is that a proper greeting for your Captain, Renji?"

Renji flinched. "Oh, yeah, right." Renji bowed deeply. "Welcome back, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya turned away. Honestly, he wasn't bothered by Renji's lack of a greeting and didn't care whether or not Renji gave him a proper one.

Renji raised his head, noticing that Byakuya was looking out the window again. "Captain?"

By this time, Ichigo and Veneno had continued on their way and were out of his sight. "Tell me, Renji."

"Yes?"

"Are you aware of the Arrancar situation we have on our hands?"

"You mean the one that's been here in the Soul Society? Uh, yeah. By this time everyone knows about him."

"What can you say about him?"

Renji was hesitant in his response. "Uh... well, that's tough to say. I've never actually met the guy so I have no idea what he's like. All I have to go on his what other people have said about him. A lot of people were worried, but now things seemed to have calmed down. I guess he's getting along with people. There was even a rumor going around that he helped save Captain Ukitake during a Hollow attack and got injured saving him. I wasn't there so..."

Byakuya listened, but didn't look at his lieutenant. "What do you think of him?"

"What I think? Uh... Well, like I said, I've never met the guy."

"Based off of what you've heard and others' impressions, what is he like? Can he be trustworthy? Is there doubt?"

"Uh..."

Ichigo seemed to trust him. He put in a good word for Veneno and seemed determined to help him. Why would Ichigo go so fair to protect someone who was an enemy? Logically, that would mean that Veneno wasn't an enemy. At least not anymore. A similar thing had happened with Linnette's group. They had started out as enemies and now things were different. It was possible for the same to be true of Veneno. Byakuya had come to trust Ichigo's impression of people, but there was always a trace of doubt. There was an equal possibility that nothing had changed and Veneno couldn't be trusted.

"Considering how people feel about him and the fact that he hasn't tried anything... Personally, I think we owe it to him to give him a chance. I mean, trust is easily taken away but at the same time, someone has to give it to them in the first place. Know what I mean?"

"I see."

Aside from the Hollow situation, nothing has happened while Veneno lived among them. It was possibly that the Hollow attacks and Veneno could be related somehow. Even Byakuya had his suspicions. The more he thought about it, however, the less he thought it possible. From what he was told, the Hollows were attacking Veneno as well as Soul Reapers. If he wished to do harm to Soul Reapers, then why would he risk his life to protect one of their Captains? It didn't make sense.

At this point, it seemed like the only reason why he was under suspicion was because he was an Arrancar and nothing more. They had no real evidence. While Byakuya wasn't completely convinced, he didn't see any reason to take action against Veneno. Not just yet. Not at the risk of starting something unintentional.

"Renji."

"Yes, sir?"

"There's a lot of paperwork to sort through. My absence has caused it to pile up to this point."

"You want me to help you sort through it all and fill it out?"

"Thank you for offering." Byakuya handed him half of the stack.

Renji's shoulders fell. His Captain's tone and expression remained serious, but Renji saw a little cunning glint in his eye. His Captain had a devious side. He must have had a good time in the World of the Living.

* * *

Just as Ichigo was about to suggest getting something to eat, Akon hurried past them on the street. "Where are you going?" they asked.

Akon slowed but didn't stop completely. "I'm running errands for the Captain. We're still trying to figure out where all those Hollows are coming from."

"Did you want to take a break for lunch or something?" Veneno asked.

"As much as I would like that, I can't. The Captain has me doing too many things as it is. I still have to help the others in the lab, deliver those reports and all those other files to the departments, then I have to..." Akon cut himself off with an aggravated sigh. "It's a holy mess. I've got to get going. I'm allowed to eat when I'm finished. Go ahead without me, though. Help yourself. Ichigo will go with you." Akon hurried off.

Veneno's head lowered in disappointment. "I never get to see him the way I used to."

"You're pretty independent now so he doesn't have to help you out as much."

"Even when I was doing things for myself, he still ate with me."

Ichigo tried not to smile. "So you miss eating with him and hanging out."

Veneno turned away, lifting his head into the air. "It's fine. I know he's busy and he would hang out if he could. No big deal."

Even as he said it, Ichigo knew it did bother him more than he was letting on.

"Say... Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

Veneno turned slightly. "Why do people give each other gifts?"

"Why? Because... It's to show that they care."

Veneno turned a little further so Ichigo could see his face. "How?"

"How what?"

"How do you give somebody a gift?"

"That's easy. I give you things all the time. It's as easy as that."

"Oh." Veneno looked away again.

"Why-"

Veneno sprang up, landing on a roof and took off running. Ichigo took off after him. By the time Ichigo caught up to him, he found Veneno standing in fort of Squad 12's laboratory. He pushed the doors open and Ichigo followed him inside.

"Veneno?"

The Arrancar took him down to one of the lower levels and over to a metal table covered with papers. He started gathering up as many as he could and placed them onto a metal cart. The ones he couldn't fit, he handed to Ichigo.

"Veneno?"

"These are the files Akon has to deliver." Veneno started pushing the cart out of the room. "At the rate he's going, he'll never finish his work."

"So then..."

Veneno grabbed a file and vanished. He reappeared a moment later empty-handed. Grabbing another file, he raced off again. Ichigo's eyes couldn't track his movements, but he could see what he was doing. Veneno was traveling as fast as he could to deliver all the files to their proper locations. As the pile on the cart started to shrink, Ichigo started feeling a tug on his arms as the files he was carrying started to disappear. Veneno raced around the room, handing the remaining files to working Soul Reapers. As soon as the last file was dropped off, Veneno screeched to a halt beside the cart, stirring up dust from the floor under his feet.

"Done. One less thing for Akon to do. Now he can't complain."

Ichigo couldn't hide his smile this time.

"What? Why are you smiling like that?"

"You delivered all those files for Akon. Obviously you care about him otherwise you wouldn't have done that."

Veneno crossed his arms and snorted. "It's just that now he has no excuse, that's all. Now he'll have more time on his hands. Which means he can hang out with me. It's not because I care or anything."

"But you do. Why would you want to hang out with him if you didn't care?"

Veneno had no answer for that.

"You want to hang out with him because you like him."

"No! It's just... Well... If he didn't deliver those then he would have gotten yelled at. And... and Akon has a lot to do so I wanted to lighten his load a little bit. It has nothing to do with liking him or caring."

Ichigo shook his head. "Caring about someone's well-being and wanting to help them out if what friends do for each other."

Veneno frowned. "Hey, he helped me out before when I was helpless and didn't know what was what. Now we're even. I don't want to be indebted to Soul Reapers. That's all. Don't over-think this."

Was Veneno still in denial or did he really feel this way?

As Akon returned to the lab, he found that his work was already done for him. The Soul Reapers had the files in their hands or on their desks. He looked around. "Who..?"

Ichigo pointed to Veneno.

"Veneno, did you deliver all those files?"

He nodded.

"That would have taken me two hours, there were so many and so many places they had to go. How did you..?"

"I ran. Fast."

Akon grinned. "Thank you. That was a huge help. You have no idea." Akon patted Veneno on the shoulder. "I'd better get back to the Captain before he kills me or worse. Thanks again. With any luck, I'll get to eat today after all."

Veneno's chest felt warm and a smile crept onto his face. Doing Akon that kindness gave him a strange sensation. He was happy to have been a help to Akon and even happier to have seen him so pleased and grateful. But why would he feel this way? He received nothing in return other than seeing Akon happy. For some reason, that was enough. But why? It didn't make any sense. Could it be that Ichigo was right and that doing things for people he cared about..? Veneno never thought such a thing was possible. He never believed such an idiotic thing. Then again, that was before he got to know these Soul Reapers. Before this peace between them.

Veneno turned to Ichigo. "It wasn't like I had anything better to do. Come on, let's get some food."

* * *

Mayuri moved from station to station, checking monitors and yelling at his subordinates. Every few seconds, he would shout and demand results. Unfortunately, all his questions went without answers.

"Well? Well?"

Hiyosu turned away from the screen to answer. "Nothing yet, Captain Kurotsuchi."

"How long does it take?" Mayuri bellowed to the child furiously working in front of him. "Rin Tsubokura!"

"Waah!" Rin shrank inside his lab coat, like a turtle fleeing into its shell. "Y- yessir?"

"Results! Now!"

Whimpering, Rin turned back to his screen, searching for answers that just weren't there. "Uh... No change."

"That's not good enough!"

"I'm sorry, Captain!" Rin's fingertips danced across the keyboard at lightning speed. "District clear. Uh... The following areas are clear as well. The-"

"I don't care about that!" Mayuri slammed his fist on the tabletop, causing everyone in the lab to freeze in fear. "Where are they coming from?! Tell me that!"

"I- I- I don't know!" Rin stammered. "Gatekeeper of the White Road Gate, Jidanbo Ikkanzaka, reported back saying there were no breaches. We've checked with the remaining gatekeepers as well and they've confirmed the same thing. None of the gates were ever opened."

"Check again!"

"He did, Captain," Hiyosu called from his station. "Five times. The gatekeepers are starting to get annoyed."

"Let them be! We have Hollows entering the Seireitei and no one can tell me how it's happening!" Mayuri screamed. "Call them again and check again! Maybe a Hollow slipped inside when the gates were opened under someone's authorization."

"That's a negative, Captain. Any Soul Reapers released on Hollow business have all returned before this incident occurred or were dispatched and have yet to return."

"That means nothing to me! The point is the Hollows could have entered when those gates were opened letting those Soul Reapers in or out. They could have entered at that moment and waited until now to make their move!" Mayuri pounded his fist on the table again. "Check again!"

"Captain! I'm sorry, but we just don't have the results you're looking for!" Akon pleaded for reason from one of the monitors. "The gatekeepers said nothing had gotten in and they're not going to change their answers just because you demanded it. The walls show no signs of damage so nothing broke in through there. Nothing tunneled underneath, not that anything could anyway. If anything came in from above, surely someone would have seen it, like the first time Ichigo and his friends showed up. We've had people thoroughly checking the walls, just in case, taking samples of the land and everyone is on high alert. All readings are normal, no abnormalities anywhere. That includes our equipment. The monitors and analyzers... everything. Nothing is showing up. We've been checking and double checking and triple checking everything every few seconds. It's not us, Captain! It just isn't there."

Enough was enough. Everyone in the department was stressed and on the verge of a breakdown. If it wasn't from their activity and relentless searching for something they couldn't find, it was from the fear of their Captain finally losing control and killing them all in a fit of rage. Either that, or he would turn them all into test subjects, in which case, death would have been a mercy.

The researchers continued to type while their Captain took a moment to think. "Finding out where these Hollows are coming from is of the utmost importance now. We don't know if it's over or not. Nevertheless, I want to know how they're getting in."

"I'm sorry, Captain Kurotsuchi," said Akon. "But the results we're getting don't have the answers you're looking for. There are no breaches and no one has seen anything entering the Seireitei. Logically, if there are no signs of entry, then it never entered."

"But they did enter," said Hiyosu.

"Yes, I know that. I'm just saying that if there's no way for them to get in that we're seeing, then they must have already been inside."

"Already inside?" Rin tilted his head. "As in they've been here the whole time? How can that be? Someone would have noticed if Hollows were in the Seireitei of all places."

"Not really," said Hiyosu. "I mean, we didn't notice the Arrancar that was living right under our noses in the department."

Mayuri's eyes suddenly went wide and looked towards the door. In no time at all, he flung the door open and charged out of the room. "Captain?" Akon hastily followed after him. The Captain took him on a long journey down several flights of stairs and to a large steel door. With one hard push, he sent them swinging wide open and entered the room. Not a moment later, Akon heard him cursing. "What is it, Cap..?"

The room was filled with large tanks, very much like the one Veneno was revived in. They all looked like large test tubes. What was left of them, at least. All twelve containers were shattered, glass covering the floor along with with some strange olive-colored slime.

"Damn it." Mayuri stood in front of the tanks, muttering in anger.

Akon stepped carefully into the room, covering his nose with his sleeve. It stank like boiled cabbage, eggs and rotting meat. The stench was powerful enough to leave a horrible taste in his mouth. "What is all this?"

"I know where the Hollows are coming from."

Akon turned to his Captain who paid him little attention. He was still looking at the empty, shattered tanks. Looking around, Akon soon realized where they were. "This is the lab where you were keeping those Hollows for experiments, isn't it? We put them on the back burner some time ago. It's been months since I was last in here."

"That's right. I was going to use them as test subjects, but then that Arrancar took precedence. To be honest, some of them started to bore me. I wasn't getting good results. Some I had never gotten to."

Akon stared at the shattered tanks. "So... the Hollows that are showing up... they came from here?"

"Exactly."

"But that doesn't make any sense." Akon pointed to the tanks with is free hand. "The Hollows we've been fighting are far larger than these tanks used to hold them. They would never fit."

"You fool. Can't you see that the tanks are completely shattered. What does that tell you?"

"That they broke out."

"Or..." Mayuri held up his finger. "... they became too big and broke it. They grew."

Such a thing was not impossible. The question was how and why did they grow to be so large so quickly? This phenomenon was very similar to Veneno's transformation into an Arrancar. He, too, had grown too large for his container and escaped.

"Captain, how did this happen? Growing so large in a short amount of time."

"The answer is at your feet." Mayuri pointed to the slime on the floor. "Look familiar? Granted, it's been fermenting for some time now, but it's an answer no less."

This slimy goop covering the floor was a dark color and smelled foul. It didn't bring back any memories Akon could think of. Until... "Wait. It's similar to the slime Veneno had in his tank when he was recovering."

"It's not similar. It's the same." Mayuri pointed. "These tanks had chemicals in them already. Then this mixture was added to these tanks. Do you understand now?"

"So the same goop Veneno had in his tank ended up inside of these tanks? By accident?"

"It was certainly someone's dumbass mistake!" Mayuri yelled. "This got mixed with the Hollows and mutated them. That's what's going on. The Hollows that are running around loose are mine. They were from my lab and they were contaminated with the Arrancar's mixture. There was no break in. They were already here."

Akon's mind was working rapidly to fit all the pieces together. "That explains a lot. Veneno's slime... Now it makes sense, if it was from his... Yes. That must be why the Hollows grew to be so large. The same way Veneno grew and developed within a short amount of time. And the fact that we can't sense them. We can't sense Veneno's Spiritual Pressure either. So some traits were passed on because of the chemicals. And if they were from this lab, that's why they were found so close to this Division."

"Exactly." Mayuri sighed. "My lab. No doubt the Head Captain will find some way to blame me for all of this because of that. I'd love to know how that mixture ended up in their tanks. In fact, I'd love to know a lot of things... But there's work to be done."

"In what way, sir?"

Mayuri pointed to the tanks. "Count them. All twelve of these tanks were occupied. We've only found three Hollows so far."

Which meant there were nine left, somewhere in the Seireitei.

* * *

Now we know. And now we get more action!

Please review! ^-^


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: **

For the longest time, neither Ichigo nor Veneno said anything. They just sat on a roof and enjoyed each other's company. Ichigo left his body behind and followed Veneno around as a Soul Reaper. Veneno seemed content just having someone by his side. Several times, Ichigo was tempted to break the silence between them but never did. This was just fine.

"Ichigo."

"Yeah?"

"I still don't get it."

"Get what?"

Veneno sighed. "Never mind."

"No. What is it?"

Veneno hesitated. "You've tried explaining to me a lot of things that I just don't understand. Like why people care about each other and not because of personal gain."

"Well, you wanted friends, right? Why's that?"

"Because I didn't want to be alone."

"And why's that?"

Veneno couldn't answer. "I just don't. Being lonely is painful. I don't know why but it is."

"Ok. I understand what you mean. But I keep telling you, you do have friends and you can make more."

Veneno scoffed. "You keep saying that, but... not with Soul Reapers. That's impossible. Besides... I feel like an outsider even when they're nearby. From the ones who stare and the ones who don't."

Ichigo was about to say something when he heard Akon calling for them from the stairs below. Ichigo and Veneno peered over the edge of the roof and saw him waving at them with both hands. "What's up?"

"We have a problem! Come on!"

They jumped down and landed on either side of Akon. He wouldn't wait for them. As soon as they landed, he started to run back down the stairs. "What's going on?" they asked.

"We know where the Hollows are coming from," Akon said over his shoulder. "They're from the lab. They were experiments the Captain was planning on doing something with."

Akon said nothing further and looked over his shoulder at Veneno instead. Ichigo knew why. Veneno had been an experiment in that lab, too. Admitting there were other Hollows like him in a similar situation to his face might have been upsetting to the Arrancar.

Veneno's face was unreadable. Neither could tell what he was thinking or feeling.

"So they got out of the lab?" Ichigo pressed Akon for further answers.

"Er, yeah. It's the same thing as Veneno's situation. They got too big for their containers and escaped. When we resurrected Veneno, the fluid from his tank somehow got mixed into theirs and they mutated."

"What do you mean by mutate?"

"Put simply, they're super Hollows. They got bigger and stronger. The works. Mentioning that it was Veneno's chemical mixture tainting their tanks is important. Because of that, like him, it makes it next to impossible to detect any Spiritual Pressure from them. That's why we haven't been able to sense them. The lab held a total of twelve and so far we've come across three of them. There are nine still out there."

"Is that what we're doing? We're looking for the other nine?"

"More or less. We do have to find them and get rid of them before they cause anymore damage." Akon looked over his shoulder again at Veneno. "I'm sorry, Veneno."

"Hm?"

"I know they're Hollows and I know how you must feel about me saying that we have to eliminate them but... They've been attacking us. We don't have much of a choice. I hope you understand. I know they're your kind and everything, but..."

Ichigo could only imagine how Veneno must have been feeling, hearing two Soul Reapers talk about killing his own kind right in front of him. As Veneno himself has said before, Arrancar or not, he is still a Hollow. Just a more evolved one. When it came right down to it, they were killing his family. Talking about it right in front of him and soon carrying out their plan and killing them with Veneno watching the whole thing. On top of which, these Hollows were also experiments of Mayuri's. He might have had a connection with them, be it out of pity or a mutual understanding.

To everyone's surprise, Veneno cracked a smile. "What are you apologizing for? It has to be done, right?"

Akon almost stopped running. "You're ok with this? Having to kill these Hollows? Are you sure?"

"No, I'm ok with it. They may be Hollows, but that doesn't mean I won't kill them."

"You're sure about that?"

"Even when I was a Hollow, before the experiments, my fellow Hollows always treated me like crap. They're the ones who practically threw me to the Soul Reapers in the first place." Veneno scoffed. "Besides, these guys were attacking me, too. Not just you guys. I'm not taking that without having something to say about it. They threw the first punch, so I'm with you. I'll help you bring them down."

Ichigo grinned and after a moment, Akon returned it. Veneno was on board with this. He was going to help them fight.

"So where are we going anyway?" Ichigo asked. They were running behind Akon who never told them where they were going or what they were doing.

"Just listen for the screaming. That should clue you in."

"Screaming? You mean there's one here already?"

"Yeah, but they need help. I had to find you to clue you in and so you can back us up," Akon explained. "So far, you guys have been the best at bringing these things down. Didn't you bring down a couple, Ichigo?"

"Yeah, the first one. The other two I had help with."

"Not surprising. They're getting stronger and more violent."

The ground vibrated and they could hear screaming nearby. They were close. A moment later, Soul Reapers were being tossed into the air by a monstrous Hollow. This one was even larger than the others. It towered over buildings, it's rat-face mask snapping at those around. These things were getting bigger.

"Have at it, you guys," said Akon. "I'm trying to clear everyone out who's trapped or injured. Try not to cause too much damage." He was off and running again.

Ichigo drew his sword. "Ready?"

Veneno drew his and nodded. "Points to whoever brings it down first."

They sprang into action together. Swords swinging, both made contact with the Hollow. Veneno's blade went through while Ichigo's bounced off. It was happening again. His attacks weren't working while Veneno's were. Once Ichigo put on his mask, that all changed. Now his attacks inflicted damage. Left and right, they attacked the Hollow on either side, giving the Soul Reapers below time to escape.

This Hollow wasn't going down. No matter how many injuries it sustained, it would not give up the fight. It grew angrier and swatted at them with both arms. Ichigo managed to avoid its arms while Veneno took a direct hit to the shoulder and slammed into a building.

"You ok?!" Ichigo hollered.

Veneno stood up shakily and raised his sword. "Barely felt it."

The Hollow opened its mouth wide and roared. Its voice shook the air and every window of the buildings surrounding it exploded. The roar was so powerful, Ichigo nearly fell out of the sky. Covering his ears with both hands, he stood still and waited for it to be over. There was no hope for an attack under these conditions.

"Duck, Ichigo!"

Veneno's warning came just in time as Ichigo dove out of the sky, narrowly missing the Hollow's claws. He kicked off the wall of a building nearby and flew at the Hollow's chest, slashing it straight across. Blood poured out of the wound but the Hollow was still standing. It wasn't going down.

Veneno attacked from the left and sliced off one of its arms. The Hollow shrieked and fired off a round of ceros in all directions. Some hit the ground, others smashed into buildings and the remains shot into the air and disappeared. Before the smoke could clear, the Hollow was charging through the street on a new rampage.

"We have to stop it from getting any further!" Ichigo called to Veneno through the dust clouds. There were more Soul Reapers in that direction, both the fleeing injured and the unsuspecting.

"It won't go down!" Veneno shouted back from somewhere Ichigo couldn't see. "Try aiming for its head!"

Ichigo hurried after the Hollow and did as Veneno said. Unfortunately, Ichigo couldn't land a blow on it's upper body. The Hollow wouldn't let him. For something so massive, it was fast. Every time he got too close, Ichigo was pushed back by its remaining arm. Veneno joined the fight and slashed the Hollow from behind. He, too, couldn't land a hit anywhere near its mask.

The Hollow fired off another round of ceros and roared. Ichigo couldn't stay on his feet and knelt down, covering his ears. That thunderous voice shook him from the inside out, rattling his bones and organs. It made him feel nauseous. He shut his eyes tightly, fearing they would pop out of his skull. By the time he opened them, he saw Veneno being tossed through the air and into the street. He bounced off the ground once and rolled into a pile of rubble.

Veneno rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up. The world around him was still spinning. Once he got his strength back, he grasped his sword and started to stand. Something black blocked his way. It was a row of Soul Reapers. They all had their backs to him, facing the Hollow closing in on them. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"You're injured. Leave it to us."

Did these Soul Reapers think so little of him that they felt he didn't have what it took to fight back? Veneno scowled. "I can hold my own in a battle just fine. I can keep going."

One of the men turned around, scars running across his eye and a 69 tattooed on his face. "We can't risk anyone getting injured worse than they are. We can buy you some time so you can get to safety and regroup with the others. We don't need anyone getting killed over pride or stubbornness. Now get going!"

Veneno's scowl disappeared. They were actually concerned about him getting hurt? They were looking out for him?

"I said go!" The Soul Reaper turned around. "Get ready everyone. Here it comes. Reap!"

The other Soul Reapers held up their weapons.

"Snap!"

"Crush them!"

Veneno started to back away without thinking about it. His body wanted him to do as they said.

"Go!"

He ran for it. He could hear their battle cries from the next street. That Soul Reaper told him to regroup with the others. There must have been more Soul Reapers nearby. Was that what they were doing? They were buying the injured time to escape and giving other Soul Reapers a chance to prepare for an attack? It wasn't intended to be an insult. They were showing consideration and concern for him and everyone else.

Something crashed overhead and chunks of building came down around him. Veneno tucked his head down and dashed through the debris. He saw a girl throwing what looked like fireballs at the Hollow but it was all pointless. The Hollow didn't feel a thing. She screamed as the Hollow fired a cero at her feet and fell. She was caught by the tattooed Soul Reaper and carried to a safe place. Together they went back into combat and were soon joined by other Soul Reapers.

"You there!"

Veneno turned around. A Soul Reaper was beckoning to him.

"Get over here, quick!"

Veneno jogged over. "Yeah?"

"Are you injured? Can you keep going?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Good. We have a Squad over in that direction ready to join in the fight. Our group is going in first. But they could use another person over on that side there. Do you think you can help them out?"

"Uh..."

"Watch out!"

A Soul Reaper's shout alerted them to a chunk of building heading their way. Veneno and the other Soul Reaper dodged it in time. The building it belonged to collapsed in on itself, shaking the ground underfoot. Before it could complete its fall, the building was blown apart and someone came smashing through from the other side. He bounced off the ground, tumbled end over end and landed at their feet.

"Hisagi! Are you alright?"

It was that tattooed Soul Reaper from before. His body was mangled but he was still conscious. Still clutching his Zanpakuto in his right hand, he pointed with his left in the direction he flew from. "Check... Momo... Make sure... she's alright."

"I'll go," volunteered a man and he started running toward the collapsed building.

"She was... right behind me when we were attacked. I hope she's ok."

"Take it easy, Hisagi. We're going to get you out of here. You're hurt bad."

"I'm fine."

Veneno looked up, seeing something darting through the air like a fly. The speck grew larger and landed nearby. It was Ichigo. His shoulder was bleeding but otherwise seemed perfectly fine. "Are you ok?" he asked the man on the ground.

"I'm fine. I want to know if Momo is ok. She was right behind me."

"She's fine. She was asking after you. She's helping the injured get away." Ichigo pointed with his sword. "That thing's going to be here any second. We need to get you out of here."

"You saw her? How is she?"

"She's fine. She's walking ok and everything." Ichigo bent down and slung Hisagi's arm over his shoulder and started carrying him up the street. Another Soul Reaper came to help him. "We have to go. Now."

A cero exploded overhead making everyone flinch. Ichigo and the other Soul Reapers hurried away as fast as they could with Hisagi's feet dragging across the ground. Veneno followed after them, checking over his shoulder every few seconds to see how close the Hollow was. They were joined by another group who took Hisagi from Ichigo and started to mend his wounds.

Ichigo patted Veneno on the arm. "You doing ok?"

"Yeah."

"Good." He looked at the Hollow gaining ground in the distance. "What I'm doing isn't enough. I need help."

"No problem."

Veneno and Ichigo ran, shoulder to shoulder back the way they came to defeat the Hollow. It saw them coming and attacked. They broke apart as a cero flew between them. Veneno returned fire with his own cero which blasted the Hollow in the chest and sent it staggering. In the meantime, Ichigo sliced its legs to try to slow it down. It stomped its feet, trying to trample him. More Soul Reapers arrived and tried to lend a hand. None of their attacks worked and they were soon thrown into the air. The Hollow roared and suddenly changed directions. It was heading for another building packed with Soul Reapers.

"Don't let it get close!" a Soul Reaper shouted. The men below tried their best to keep it from gaining ground but they were kicked aside within seconds. They weren't strong enough to do anything. Others arrived but they, too, were no match for the rampaging Hollow.

"I'll go ahead!" Veneno called to Ichigo and ran off. He was hoping to cut it off and buy the others more time. He shot a cero at the Hollow's back which allowed him time to get ahead of it. As he moved to slash the Hollow with his sword, it swung its tail and sent him crashing to the ground. Veneno rolled to a stop and was on his feet in a fraction of a second. The Hollow lifted its foot and started to bring it down. Veneno took a step back for an attack but tripped over a stone and lost his footing.

"Look out!" A Soul Reaper pushed him out of the way just in time. The man grabbed his arm and pulled him up and they started running. "Be careful."

Veneno recognized this man. Before his identity was known, they used to eat meals together at the same table; even giving him his bread from time to time. Once he learned he was an Arrancar, he gave Veneno nothing but sidewards-stares and a cold shoulder. Now he was risking his life to protect him.

They joined another group hiding behind a building. They looked frightened but ready for a fight. "We have to move from here. That Hollow's coming. Are we ready for an attack?"

The others nodded. "Yes."

"Ok, move out. Try attacking where it can't see you."

Veneno followed the group with a curious feeling he couldn't shake. What was this?

A cero blasted the ground in front of them. They were spotted. Half of the group started attacking while the others ran in another direction. The Hollow's attacks sent pieces of building flying through the air. Veneno ducked to avoid them. A Soul Reaper deflected one of the pieces with his sword. "You ok?" he asked Veneno and he nodded back. The Soul Reaper grabbed one of the women in front of him to keep her from falling into the hole made by a cero attack. "Be careful," he warned.

There was another crash and Ichigo appeared in front of them, slamming into the wall on his shoulder. "It just won't die!" he said breathlessly.

The Soul Reaper started barking orders again. "You two go that way and you two come with me. The rest of you carry the injured to safety. Go, go!"

A woman grabbed Veneno and pulled him up the stairs and out of the way of a stray cero. Ichigo followed after them. More rubble came raining down and smoke filled the air. They made it to another street where Soul Reapers were fleeing every which way. Among them was Akon. He was helping a woman who had an injured leg to her feet. Veneno came over to help them. Ichigo came, too. Akon was running around in a panic, trying to get everyone out of the way. On this level, they were even easier targets for the Hollow. He passed the woman to Ichigo and went to help someone else. As he did, the roof above him shattered and debris rained down around them.

The Hollow was staring right at them. The Soul Reapers trying to escape out the broken window froze in fear and Akon fell to his knees, covered in dust. The Hollow roared and raised its arm. There was no time for them to get away.

Without thinking, Veneno threw himself between them and blocked its arm with his sword. He managed to hold his ground and kept the Hollow in place. The Hollow snarled, but Veneno wasn't backing down. He pushed against the Hollow with both hands on his sword. "Get away..!"

The Hollow snarled again. It's growl became deeper as it realized that Veneno was starting to push its arm back. With all his strength, Veneno threw the Hollow back and bellowed loudly.

"Get away from my friends!"

As soon as he said that, time seemed to freeze. The Hollow didn't move. The Soul Reapers were motionless. In fact, no one was more surprised by his outburst than Veneno himself. Those words... He really truly said them, didn't he?

Veneno looked shocked at himself. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open. Slowly, he looked back at the people standing behind him. He looked at their faces. The faces of each and every Soul Reaper. When he played those words over again in his mind, there was no doubt in his mind that he had actually said them. And meant them from the bottom of his heart.

He started to smile. It was weak, but gathered strength as he spoke softly, more to himself than anyone else. "My friends... They're my friends."

These filthy, horrid, evil, wicked, nasty, repulsive Soul Reapers were his friends. His worst and most hated enemy. They were his friends. And they were worth protecting.

Veneno turned back to the Hollow with a sneer on his face and grasped his sword tightly. "You go through me to get to them, buddy."

The Hollow accepted and opened its mouth wide to devour him in one gulp. Veneno flashed away and reappeared on the Hollow's head. He drove the sword in his hands straight down into its mask. The Hollow shrieked and bucked its head up and down. Veneno held his sword in its mask and held on for one twisted and bumpy ride.

Knowing he needed help, Ichigo sprang up and threw the tip of his sword into the Hollow's mask right next to Veneno's. That was the finishing blow they needed. The Hollow disintegrated on the spot and was gone.

Ichigo and Veneno landed beside each other with the gawking Soul Reapers. Ichigo's mask disappeared, revealing his smile.

"Nothing's impossible, huh?"

Veneno didn't say a word. He knew Ichigo wasn't talking about the Hollow. He was referring to Veneno saying how he could never be friends with soul Reapers. For once, he was happy to be wrong.

The other Soul Reapers gathered themselves and approached the two with gratitude. With the Hollow now gone, it would make finding the injured and cleaning up the destruction a lot easier. From the roof, they could see injured Soul Reapers being helped away by their comrades.

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.

Then came a distant rumbling and cracking. Then multiple roars.

Off in the distance were more Hollows of monstrous size. Ichigo counted four, then two more appeared from behind buildings and then two more from another direction. Eight Hollows in total.

"Are you kidding me?!" Ichigo cried out. "All at once?!"

"They've been showing up one at a time until now," said Veneno. "What's going on?"

"They've been getting stronger as time went on," Akon explained. "The first few were easy. Maybe because they were still developing. Maybe because they were attacking individually. Maybe they're trying to attack in a group now. That must be what they're doing. Maybe they feel they're strong enough to do so now. This will make fighting back even harder."

"No kidding." Ichigo lifted his sword. "That last one we faced was difficult enough. It took just about everything we had just to bring it down."

"Yeah!" said one of the Soul Reapers from the open window. "And they're tough! Those Hollows are no joke. They make us all look like weaklings!"

"Well, I did refer to them as super Hollows," said Akon. "It seems appropriate, don't you think given the situation?" He looked at the Hollows gaining ground in the distance. "They'll be here in a couple minutes if they keep up that pace. I guess it's good that they decided to show up all at once to get it over with. Once these guys are gone, that will be the end of it. These are the last of them."

"But we can't take them all on at once!" said a woman. "It's like he said, these Hollows make us look so weak! They're stronger than normal Hollows and huge!"

"How do we win against these things?"

"They're too strong!"

"And massive!"

"We'll figure it out, alright?" snapped Akon. "Yelling about it isn't going to help. This is what being a Soul Reaper is all about. This is our job. We'll keep everyone safe and fight back against those who threaten to take away peace and those precious to us."

Ichigo nodded. "We'd better get started if that's the case. We'll watch each other's backs and give it our all."

Veneno looked from Ichigo to the Hollows getting closer with every step and then at his blade. Taking in a breath, he nodded. He had already chosen his side.

Akon hurried off in a different direction while Ichigo, Veneno and the Soul Reapers charged into action. As they drew closer, they noticed that other Soul Reapers were already in battle against the Hollows. Up close, they could see just how massive these Hollows were. They were roughly the size of Menos Grande. Some had more appendages than others, some had long tails and others didn't, some walked on two legs and some on fours, one on six. So far, it was the same story as the others. No matter how much the Soul Reapers attacked, the Hollows never took damage.

Ichigo made the first move in their group and sliced the Hollow across the neck, but his blade did not cut into its flesh. The others made their moves next, theirs also making no marks. When Veneno used his sword, he managed to slice into the Hollow's shoulder and drew blood. The Hollow turned it's body to follow Veneno's movements. Veneno was too fast for it and quickly disappeared from sight. A cut was made on the Hollow's back and then another on it's shoulder below the first. Veneno reappeared for a moment and then was gone again. He was on the Hollow's head, hacking away at its mask. It chipped but did not break. The Hollow swung its arm up to bat Veneno away. He flashed off the Hollow's head and the Hollow's arm smashed right into its mask right where Veneno had been, injuring itself. It screeched and stumbled back. Veneno and Ichigo quickly grabbed the Soul Reapers below and pulled them out of the way before they were trampled.

A cero formed in the Hollow's mouth and fired at them. The cero tore through a building but missed its target. Veneno stood below the Hollow and fired his own cero at the Hollow's stomach. A direct hit which sent the Hollow reeling. It stumbled and fell but wasn't dead. It stood up again and roared, slapping the ground with its tail in anger.

Ichigo attacked as Veneno moved to one side, keeping the Hollow's attention focused on him. Ichigo's attack didn't open any new wounds, but he wasn't trying to. He was aiming at the wounds Veneno inflicted. This seemed to cause the Hollow some pain for it looked down to see who had attacked it. It stomped after Ichigo and fired two ceros, one in the shadow of the first. He managed to avoid both, but Ichigo couldn't avoid it's foot. The Hollow stepped on the hem of Ichigo's tailcoat and dragged him down. Before the Hollow could stomp on his skull, Veneno used is own cero to blast the Hollow off its feet and pulled Ichigo out of the way.

"Thanks for that."

Veneno nodded. "No problem. Listen, if we attack the mask together, we might be able to bring it down. Want to try it?"

"Sounds good to me."

They each sprang up and started attacking the Hollow's mask, one right after another. They would spring back and attack from a different angle to keep the Hollow confused. Veneno struck first, then Ichigo, then they would attack together at the same spot on its mask. It was beginning to chip and crack, but it was so thick. The Hollow bucked its head and swung at them with its hands. Veneno landed on a roof and rolled out of the way as its arm smashed into the building. He sat up panting and glaring at the Hollow.

"Come on, Veneno!"

"You can do it!"

Veneno's glare vanished and looked down in confusion. The Soul Reapers, the injured and the uninjured were standing below, cheering him on.

"Go get him, Veneno!"

"Go for it, man!"

"Kick its ass!"

"Don't give up!"

"We believe in you!"

"Do your best!"

All those Soul Reapers. They were sending up their encouraging words to the Arrancar. They were all cheering for Veneno.

Veneno looked stunned. He had never had people cheer for him before.

He was fighting for them. He wasn't their enemy. He was a friend. They were cheering on a friend. They cared about him.

Veneno's lips curled and he started to smile. Their cheering gave him courage and energy. He wasn't going to let them down. Taking up his sword, he rushed at the Hollow with a loud battle cry and sliced off the tip pf the Hollow's ear. The Hollow roared and swung at him with both arms.

"Yeah, Veneno!"

"Go!"

"You can do it!"

"You're doing great!"

He stabbed the Hollow's ribs and as it doubled over, he chipped away more of its mask on his way up. This time, the Hollow managed to grab Veneno's leg and pulled him out of the air and into the ground. Veneno rolled out of the way of its stomping feet until there was nowhere left to roll.

The Soul Reapers ran forward and started to attack the Hollow with everything they had.

"You leave him alone!"

"Die, you damn Hollow!"

"To get to him, you go through us!"

Veneno sat up and watched them fight. No matter how little damage they caused, they never gave up. They fought with everything they had for their sake and for his.

There was a part of Veneno that thought that they were only cheering him on because he could protect them. Knowing he would protect them, they cheered for him for his protection. They wanted Veneno to keep them safe, but that was all they cared about. They didn't give a damn about him, but for what he could do for them. He was no more than a tool. But seeing them fight to protect him made him realize that wasn't the case. They actually cared about him and not just his protection. On the battlefield, they looked after each other. They cared for each other. When one was hurt, they came to their aid. When Veneno was hurt, they charged in without hesitation to protect him. When he was hurt, they wanted revenge for their fallen alley.

Veneno got to his feet and charged in with them. Ichigo, who had been watching from nearby, joined in.

Swords clashed against claws and flesh. Their battle cries were met with roars and howls from the Hollow and those nearby. Soon their yells turned to pained screams as they were all thrown back by their enemy. Kido flew from all directions and cero lit up the sky. It was a battle, but the Soul Reapers were on the losing side. No matter how many joined the fight, all were tossed aside like broken toys and left to be crushed under the Hollow's massive body. The injured were helped to safety as others arrived, but it was an unending cycle. The new would fall and would be helped by new arrivals who would also end up getting injured.

Ichigo stood in front of the Hollow and aimed at the crack on its mask. "Getsuga Tensho!" The Hollow blocked with a cero and the resulting blast nearly knocked Ichigo off his feet. Unable to see through the thick smoke, Ichigo was thrown into the air by the Hollow's claws.

"Ichigo!" Veneno screamed, turning back.

He flew backwards and into something soft but firm. He felt two muscular arms wrap around his body and braced him. He coughed and examined himself for injuries. Aside from a few minor cuts and scrapes he was fine. He had managed to block the Hollow's claws with his sword as it threw him back which prevented further harm to his body.

"Are you alright?"

Ichigo turned his head upward to see who had caught him. "Cedric?!"

The large man holding him to his chest was indeed Linnette's guardian, Cedric.

"I said, are you alright?"

"Y- Yeah."

Cedric set him down.

While he was grateful for the save, he was very confused. "What the hell are you doing here?! How did you get here?"

"A Soul Reaper opened a portal in our living room and brought us here."

"A Soul Reaper did?" Ichigo said quietly. His sudden appearance had left Ichigo still feeling stunned.

"Yes," said another voice. Standing on what remained to a nearby roof was Victor, his white suit untarnished even with all the dust and debris in the air. "They said you needed some help and from the looks of things that's an understatement."

Linnette poked her head out from behind the suited man and waved energetically at the teen below. "Hi, Ichigo!" Even though they were in the middle of a battlefield, Linnette's cheerful greeting and smile made the situation seem no more dangerous than a theme park.

"You're all here..." Ichigo looked around at all the faces looking back at him and felt reassured. New and powerful allies arriving to help filled him with hope. With them here, they would stand a chance against the monstrous Hollows.

Veneno appeared beside Ichigo, having rushed to help him after seeing him get thrown by the Hollow. He stopped when he saw the trio and watched them warily from where he stood behind Ichigo. They stared back. Ichigo waited for someone to say something. No one said a word for quite some time.

Then Linnette crouched down to lean over the edge of the roof so she could talk to Veneno. Cedric and Victor watched her without a sound, their faces expressionless. "Are you going to help stop those Hollows from attacking?" she asked.

Veneno loosened and tightened his grip on his sword, making it nod at the ground. After a while, he nodded his head slowly.

"Do you want some help?"

Again he took his time in answering. He nodded.

Linnette smiled. "Ok."

Victor and Cedric smiled in turn and turned their attention to the Hollow approaching from the other street.

"I'll handle it." Cedric ran to the end of the street and sprang up. Hovering above the Hollow's head, Cedric made a fist and flew straight down, punching the Hollow squarely in the mask. A direct hit. But the mask didn't even crack. "What?"

Bucking its head, the Hollow tossed Cedric aside and roared.

Cedric skidded across the ground and came to a stop beside Ichigo and Veneno. "I hit it with everything I had but it didn't take damage."

It was just as he feared. Cedric's strength wasn't enough to hurt the Hollow. The same was true for all the attacks the Soul Reapers had tried before. Ichigo couldn't believe it. Not even he could hurt it.

"Can I try controlling it?" asked Linnette.

Victor nodded. "I'll get you as close as I can risk. Hold on tight, sweetie."

Linnette climbed into Victor's arms and called down to Ichigo. "Cover your ears if you can."

Ichigo nodded and covered his ears. He watched them jump over to the Hollow. He could tell Linnette was singing, but her voice wasn't having an effect on him. She was too far away and he had his ears covered. However, Veneno could hear her loud and clear and started writhing holding his head with both arms. When Ichigo looked back, he saw Linnette and Victor land on the ground in front of them looking very worried. Ichigo uncovered his ears and asked, "What happened?"

"I- I couldn't do it!" Linnette cried. "It heard me but it wouldn't listen. It got angry and tried to hit me!"

"It did?"

Veneno snarled and stomped his foot on the ground. "I side with that Hollow! That caterwauling of yours is torture!"

Even Veneno hated her voice and had no interest in obeying anything she had to say. Normally Hollows calmed at Linnetting singing and became very submissive. However, it seemed to cause Veneno pain and angered him instead of calming him. This was true before when Linnette tried to stop him the first time Veneno had arrived. The Hollow Reapers were effected but Veneno was not. Now these enormous Hollows were the same way. They, too, weren't effected by her voice. According to Akon, these super Hollows possessed similar traits to Veneno when they were contaminated. Could his musical intolerance be one of them?

"Forget the singing," said Ichigo. "They're not going to be effected by it. It'll just piss them off."

"And how!"

"Shut up, Veneno." Ichigo tried to think. "We need another plan. There must be something else we can do."

They were running out of options. No matter how much they attacked, it was extremely difficult to bring these Hollows down. Their only hope was to keep doing what they were doing and attack these Hollows with everything they had until they were defeated. How else were they supposed to stop them? They had no choice but to fight. Linnette's voice was useless so she couldn't make them do her bidding.

The Hollow behind them roared and started blasting ceros at the Soul Reapers around its head. They were still fighting.

"This is no time to just stand around. Let's get back in there," suggested Veneno. "Eventually something will work."

That's what they did. They had little else. Victor and Cedric left Linnette on the ground and helped take on the Hollow they were fighting before. Even together, they weren't powerful enough for the Hollow. Their punches and kicks were useless. They tried to aim all their attacks at one spot, hoping to weaken its defenses.

"This isn't doing anything!" Cedric yelled.

Nothing was working. Was this all in vain? Were these Hollows too powerful to be defeated now? Had they grown too strong? Was there no way for them to win?

Ichigo refused to believe it. They brought down the other Hollows. They had to do the same with these ones.

As he sliced the Hollow's mask over and over again, he noticed a sudden drop in temperature. He looked overhead and saw Hitsugaya flying to the Hollows further away. Other Soul Reapers and Captains were dong the same. This one was theirs. They had everyone helping to stop these Hollows from winning.

"Ichigo, get out of the way!"

He moved as a circle appeared on the ground and a light shot straight up, encasing the Hollow in ice. That was Rukia's attack and that was her voice. She was standing behind him dripping in sweat. She had been fighting and running around, too, by the looks of things. Ichigo wondered why he hadn't seen her until now.

"You have to move!" she shouted at him.

Ichigo turned around and saw the Hollow easily breaking free from the ice. "Getsuga Tensho!" He attacked the Hollow's arm as it reached for him and he quickly dove out of the sky to safety.

Rukia glared at him. "I told you to get out of the way!"

"And I did!"

"You were still standing there! When I told you to move, I didn't mean jump back a couple steps, I meant out of the way all together!"

"You didn't say that!"

"By the time I finished saying that whole thing you would have been dead! Say it in a few words saves time and lives!"

"Don't-"

Veneno tapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Now's not the time for a lover's quarrel."

"We're not lovers!"

"You sound like you are. You sure act like it."

"I-"

"Move! Both of you!" Rukia screamed and pushed them both out of the way as the Hollow shot at cero at them. "That was close..."

"Hey!"

All three turned to the young voice yelling nearby. Linnette picked up a board from a pile of rubble and, swinging it like a baseball bat, started beating the Hollow's lower leg.

"Don't hurt my friends! You! Stupid! Jerk!" She swung the board with all her might, making contact with every angry word. The Hollow didn't acknowledge the beating at all, possibly unable to feel it. It started to walk in a different direction, lifting its leg and bringing it down over Linnette's head.

She vanished and reappeared behind Ichigo's group in Victor's arms. "Linnette, that was very dangerous. You could have been hurt."

"That Hollow almost killed Ichigo and-"

"I know, sweetie, but you'd better let us handle it. Please find a safe place to hide."

"But I want to help!" she pleaded. "Everyone else is fighting and I'm supposed to run and hide!"

Victor clasped her hands in his and touched her forehead with his. "With all the love in the world, my little princess, you are not strong enough to take part in this fight. I couldn't bare to watch you get hurt."

Linnette looked so frustrated. She wanted to help so much but couldn't. Everyone else was fighting and she was told to stay hidden. She wanted to take part, too, and help fight to protect her friends. She wanted to be a part of this, but she was only human and her one ability was useless. She had no weapon other than her voice and she had the average strength of a normal adolescent. Her small, thin body may have made her easy to carry around, but it also showed her lack of muscle.

Maybe Ikkaku had a point in saying that she let everyone else do things for her so she never had to. This was something she really wanted to do, and couldn't. Because she couldn't fight herself, she had to send in others to do the fighting for her. When she tried, she only got in the way. Being in this disheartening situation made Linnette realize just how weak and useless she really was.

"Stay the hell out of my way!" A flash of yellow zoomed by and straight into the Hollow's gut. "That Hollow's mine!" It was Kenpachi and he was like a raging bull. The Soul Reapers attacking the Hollow had to flee when he came out swinging. He was angering the Hollow more than he was hurting it. Still, this bought them some time to think of a better plan.

Veneno frowned at Kenpachi's swordplay and muttered to Ichigo, "That guy scares me."

"Don't feel bad. I'm scared of him, too." Ichigo stood up, puling Rukia to her feet. "What now? Kenpachi can't defeat that thing on his own, can he?"

"No, not if we couldn't make a dent in its defenses."

"Then how the hell do we stop these things?"

"I don't know! We've never come across Hollows this powerful before!"

Victor lifted Linnette back into his arms and gave a quick warning to the others. "Move!"

Without looking, everyone flashed off in different directions as the Hollow's tail slapped the ground where they had stood.

Ichigo held out his sword. "I'll give it another shot." Ignoring Kenpachi's wishes to take on the Hollow alone, he charged in and swung his sword. "Getsuga Tensho!" He unleashed two attacks, one on the first swing and one on the back swing. Both landed on the Hollow's mask and it roared in anger. Veneno appeared on the Hollow's head and fired a cero at close range to the middle of its mask. It roared again, its mask beginning to chip away. It wasn't much, but it was progress.

In a fit of rage, the Hollow swung its arms wildly. It hit the building behind it and to the side, it knocked Veneno's sword out of his hand who flashed off to retrieve it, it hit Kenpachi and it hit Ichigo.

Again, Ichigo was thrown through the air and landed hard on a rooftop, rolling end over end before finally skidding to a stop. His sword fell out of his hand and clanged beside him. He hunched over feeling as if he were about to vomit. His head throbbed and he felt dizzy. He could hear the Hollow's roaring off in the distance, just barely audible over the high-pitched ringing in his ears. He turned his head and watched as the Soul Reapers were all thrown back.

"There's no stopping it. And there are seven others after that, right? We can't even defeat this one."

He saw Rukia's ice freeze it then shatter and she would have to flee from its clawed arms and its ceros. He saw Cedric punch again and again only to be tossed aside.

"How can that thing be so strong? It's making us all look so weak!"

He saw Veneno fire a cero back at the Hollow and it shrieked. He stabbed it and blood was drawn from the wound. The Hollow fired a cero at him and Veneno had to run to safety.

"But Veneno's able to hurt it. And so was I before. We could do it. But why's that? Is there a connection between them and that's why he's able to hurt them? That can't be it. I was able to hurt them, too. I was never an experiment and I was never exposed to that chemical stuff. But wait. If that's how things are, then why couldn't I hurt them at certain times? Why only sometimes?"

What was he missing? What was different?

"Rukia can't hurt it, Cedric can't hurt it. Veneno's able to hurt it. I was able to hurt it sometimes. Like when I was wearing my mask. It's like the only thing that can hurt these Hollows are... Hollows."

Suddenly, everything made sense. It became so clear.

All this time, he had thought it was speed that they were lacking. It wasn't the speed he got from his mask, it was the power that came with it. It had nothing to do with speed. The Hollow was taking damage from ceros which were a Hollow attack. It was getting hurt when Ichigo and Veneno attacked it because they were Hollows. That was it. That was the reason.

"Hollows! Only a Hollow can hurt them!"

Rukia landed on the same roof and hurried over. "Ichigo, are you ok?"

Ichigo was so excited to have figured it out, he grabbed Rukia and told her, "I know what we have to do. I know how to stop them."

"Who? The Hollows? How?"

"We needed Veneno and the others."

Everyone converged on the same location making things easier. Rukia, Linnette, Victor, Cedric and Veneno stood with Ichigo, waiting to hear the news. "So how do we stop them?"

"The only thing that can hurt these Hollows are Hollow attacks. Only a Hollow can hurt them. That's why only Veneno and I have been able to defeat them. That's why nothing else is working."

"But these things are huge and powerful. I can't take them all on by myself. I can barely handle this one," said Veneno.

"Yeah, but can't you clone yourself like you did before?" asked Rukia.

"No. I don't think I have that ability anymore. So far I haven't been able to do it."

Rukia sighed. "Then he's right. Veneno can't possibly take on all those Hollows by himself. And neither can Ichigo."

Ichigo already had an idea. "Veneno may be lacking that power, but he still has another power from back then, and we can use it now."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, we need more Hollows."

Victor and Cedric stared at Ichigo disbelief. "Are you saying... Are you suggesting what we think you are?"

Ichigo nodded. "Veneno has to turn people into Hollow Reapers again."

"Are you insane?!" Rukia snapped. "What are you thinking? You want him to do that again?!"

Veneno sided with Rukia on this matter. "That's exactly why everyone hated and feared me in the first place. And they said as long as I don't do anything like that again, I can stay here and they won't come after me! If I do this..."

Ichigo held Veneno's shoulders and spoke to him calmly. "I know, I know, Veneno. I understand. But we don't have much of a choice. You admitted you can't do this on your own. If you turn people into Hollow Reapers, they'll gain Hollow powers which is what we need to defeat the enemy. There's no other way to do it."

Veneno's green eyes stared into Ichigo's brown ones. Slowly, they looked away sadly. "I... I don't want them to hate me." Those softly spoken words and downcast eyes made him look like a small child desperate for friendship. He wanted acceptance. He was afraid that if he did this, things would go right back to the way they were before and everyone would shun him or try to kill him.

The irony was that Ichigo didn't want history to repeat itself and now it had to if they stood any chance at winning.

"This is all my idea, Veneno. If anyone gets mad at you, I'll tell them the truth. I asked you to do it. I made you do it to save their lives. I'll protect you. I promise."

Veneno was still unsure. He was too afraid of the result if he did this. Ichigo hadn't let him down yet. He was always looking out for him. Still, he had his doubts that Ichigo could protect him from this. "I... I can't."

"Please, Veneno. It'll save lives. It will end this. Please."

Veneno shook his head. "You guys told me that if I wanted things to be different, I shouldn't do it. If I turn them into Hollow Reapers again, not only will they hate me, but they'll have a reason to kill me."

"I won't let them kill you. I promise."

"But you can't change how they feel. They'll hate me because I'd be breaking a promise. I don't..." Veneno shut his eyes tight and shook his head, the feeling too much to bare. "I... I don't... I don't want to be alone anymore! I don't want to be hated!"

"Look at me, Veneno!" Ichigo held Veneno's shoulders tightly and moved closer. "You won't be alone. I promise. Even if for some crazy reason, these guys end up hating you because they're too narrow-minded, you'll still have me. Got it? We're brothers, right?"

Veneno lifted his head and looked at Ichigo in stunned surprise. That was the first and only time Ichigo had ever said that to him. Veneno had referred to Ichigo as his brother but Ichigo had never seconded him on that until now.

"That's what you wanted, right?"

Veneno nodded slowly.

"You wanted a brother and called me a brother because you wanted someone who can relate to you. That was because of our Hollow powers, right? But brothers are more than that. Brothers protect each other, they look out for each other, they help each other. Most of all, they care about each other. I understand how you feel. I know. I know all of that because I took the time to get to know you. And I did that because I care about you."

"I thought that was because we were friends."

"Brothers can be friends, too. Friends help each other, too. They also protect each other and care about each other. I cared enough about you to do things that could get me into a lot of trouble. Are you willing to do the same for me?"

Ichigo had done so much for him. Ichigo had protected him and shown him kindness. He stood up to a Captain and spoke on his behalf. He helped him when he was injured and when he couldn't move, he carried him to a safe place. He always was there to help him. He always went back for him, even if it meant putting himself at risk. That was what friends were supposed to do for each other. Veneno had always wanted friendship. It worked both ways. They help each other, not one helping the other. With everything Ichigo had done for him, it was time for Veneno to return the favor. It was time for him to do the same. He trusted him.

Veneno nodded, with confidence in his eyes. "Ok. If you say so, I'll do it."

"I believe in you, Veneno. I know you won't let me down."

He trusted him, too.

"But Ichigo," Rukia injected. "Even if Veneno does manage to turn people into Hollow Reapers again, taking their thoughts and feelings about it out of the equation, how can we make sure they won't attack each other like last time?"

"Oh! Oh!" Linnette threw her hand into the air. "My voice worked on them before. I can make sure they stay under control and don't do anything crazy. They'll listen to me."

"She has a point," Ichigo grinned.

Those were all the immediate loose ends tied up. With nothing else to say that wouldn't get argued down, Rukia agreed. "Ok, fine. I guess we have no choice. We'll have to use the Hollow Reaper method if we stand any chance of winning."

"Question is," said Cedric, "who do we infect first? Will just anyone do?"

"A lot of Soul Reapers are injured," said Rukia. "They cannot fight as it is. Everyone else is either running for their lives, taking care of the injured or fighting."

"Shouldn't we start with strong Soul Reapers?" suggested Linnette. "They would make really good tough Hollow Reapers. If we infect strong people, then we won't need to infect a lot of people."

"The strongest Soul Reapers are Captains, correct?" asked Victor.

"Yes," answered Rukia. "Aside from Lieutenants and Squads known for having powerful fighters."

Veneno grinned. "I think I know where to go to find strong warriors."

* * *

Tee-hee ;)

Please review! ^-^


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30:**

"Have you lost your mind?!"

"Are you insane?!"

Veneno led the group straight to the dojo used by Squad 11 knowing they would be the most powerful warriors they could get their hands on at the time. Rukia was skeptical, informing him that being strong fighters Squad 11 was usually the first Squad dispatched when it came to battles. She found it hard to believe that any of them would be around to help. As it turned out, she was incorrect. Squad 11 was one of the districts furthest away from the main battle carrying on at the time. The Hollows appearing a few days before were in the area, but these new ones were appearing further away for some reason. Perhaps they had traveled a greater distance before rapidly growing into the forms they were in now. Because of this, Squad 11 wasn't aware of the battle until other Squads started taking part and calling for aid. They were prepared to go when their Captain told them to wait until he brought down the first one. Having heard that these were impossibly strong Hollows, Kenpachi didn't want to miss out on the fun or have any action taken away from him by his Squad members. Once he took one down, they were free to join in on the condition that they stay out of his way. It made little sense to Rukia, but this was how their Captain worked and she realized that.

The men gathered in the dojo were watching from the window, though they couldn't see much of anything, and waited for their Captain to have his fill of fun before joining in. Some wanted to disobey orders and join the fight, antsy and unwilling to sit around while there was a fight going on outside. Just as they were about to decide to leave the dojo to help, Ichigo's team showed up and prevented them from leaving. They gave the Squad members an interesting proposition, one which had them all up in arms and shouting angrily.

"Come on! Come on! Listen!" Ichigo couldn't reach the crowd of Soul Reapers now that they were in a frenzy.

"What the hell kind of talk is that? You want us to do what?"

"Listen to me!" Ichigo shouted over them. "We've figured out why nothing we do is working. It's because these Hollows cannot be harmed by any attack a Soul Reaper can use. They're immune. They can only be harmed by Hollow attacks. Therefore, we need people with Hollow powers to fight them if we stand any chance of winning. Veneno and I can't do it alone. We need help. So we need you-"

"You need us to become Hollow Reapers again!" shouted one of the men. "No way in hell!"

"Yeah! Not again!"

"You're crazy if you think we're going through that again!"

They knew it wouldn't be easy to convince them. The very suggestion was enough to get them riled up. With the Hollows coming ever closer, Victor had left to see if there was any way he could help, leaving Cedric with Linnette. As soon as the Soul Reapers started shouting, Cedric pulled Linnette closer to protect her if fists started flying.

"Please!" Rukia tried to reason with them. "We have it all under control. We have a plan."

"We're not doing it!"

"No way!"

"But it's the only way!" she tried again, but they only shouted louder.

"We'll do it ourselves! With our own strength!"

The men started cheering in agreement.

"Weren't you listening?!" Ichigo shouted. "Soul Reaper attacks are useless! Whatever you guys do isn't going to work!"

"Then we'll try harder!"

"You guys don't get it!" This was like talking to a brick wall. Ichigo had to make them understand. "If you try the same thing over and over again and it doesn't work, doesn't that mean you have to try something different? If you can't cut a piece of cloth with your bare hands, you use a knife, right? If you can't put out a fire by blowing on it, you use water, right? And if that doesn't work, you try something else. Don't you see? It doesn't matter how hard you try if what you do is pointless."

"It's not pointless!" shouted another man. "If kicking a door down doesn't work the first time, then you kick harder! With enough force behind it..."

"You're not listening!" Ichigo had to get through to them. "You guys are all Soul Reapers and these Hollows are immune to Soul Reaper attacks. If you fight as a Soul Reaper, you're never going to win, no matter how strong you are! It doesn't matter! You can't light a wet match so you should stop trying and do something else!"

"Listen to Ichigo! He's right!" Rukia backed him up. "Soul Reaper powers are useless in this fight. You have to change your fighting style if you want to win."

"No way! We fight with our own strength!"

"Yeah! We're not changing in order to win! We have our pride!"

"Your pride is going to get you killed!" Rukia yelled. "I'm not asking you to give up pride or anything. Just to change weapons. If you can't use fists, use swords. If you can't use swords, then an ax. That's all I'm saying!"

"And it's temporary." This was the first time Veneno spoke since the argument started. "Unlike before, it wares off. And if it doesn't, I promise, I'll reverse it. I can. I can change you all back to the way you were before."

"Shut up!" yelled one of the men. "Don't you speak!"

"Don't yell at him!" Ichigo yelled back.

"And don't you yell at me!"

"That's enough!" Ikkaku had the floor now. "Listen up. We're not going to do this, Ichigo. I don't care what you say."

"I trust Veneno. Why can't you?"

"It's not a question of trust so much as it is pride. We'll win with our own strength. We have each other's backs but we do not take another's fight away from them. A one on one fight is fair. If our friend ends up losing, it would be a great dishonor to jump in to save them. That fight is theirs. Jumping in like that is shameful. Especially if they don't call for help."

"Then you'll let your friends die?" asked Ichigo, giving Ikkaku a firm look.

"I'll protect my friends, sure. But in that kind of fight, I would rather have them die with honor than live to resent me. I would want the same. I don't want to be rescued. I want to win with my own power and my own strength. If I can't do that, then let me die."

"You'd rather die?!"

"We all would!" added a Soul Reaper. "If our opponent is stronger than ourselves then we deserve to die."

"What he means is that we would be dying with pride. We would die knowing that we had done all we could and it wasn't enough. Winning or losing any other way would be like cheating."

"Exactly."

Ichigo understood. He felt the same way when his Hollow took over and started to do the fighting for him. If he did end up winning, it wasn't him. It was his Hollow. If they became Hollow Reapers then Squad 11 wouldn't be winning as themselves. It would be another version taking control and doing the fighting for them while they would wake up after it was over with no recollection for what happened during that time. Ichigo had to agree with them after taking that into consideration.

"But this is different," he said. "You can't win any other way. If you don't do anything, everyone will die. Gaining new abilities is better than the alternative, don't you think? Would you rather have everyone die, including yourselves?"

Ikkaku shook his head. "I'd rather be killed. That's what happens when you meet an adversary stronger than yourself. Besides, yes, you're right, I don't trust the Arrancer. The last time everyone was turned into Hollow Reapers, he took over and made himself a king. Who's to say he won't do it again when we're all defenseless?"

"He promised."

"Oooh!" Ikkaku rolled his eyes.

"If you give your word, I'm expected to believe it. Why should it be any different for him?"

"You know the answer."

"Just please, let him do this so we can stop these things from killing us all? We can't do it alone."

"We're not doing it and that's final. Find yourself some other guinea pigs willing to throw themselves away because of the empty words of..." Ikkaku's eyes shifted away from Ichigo and over to the right. "Yumichika, are you alright?"

Ichigo turned. Yumichika was standing just a few steps away looking very pale and sickly. The dark shadows cast over his eyes made them look sunken in.

"... I..." Yumichika started to sway and he slurred out his words. "I don... don't feel so... goo..." He fell forward on top of Ikkaku.

"Yumichika!" Ikkaku lowered him to the ground and held him in his lap. Ikkaku put a hand to Yumichika's sweaty forehead. "He's burning up."

"Why..? How did..?"

"Sorry." Veneno was standing behind Yumichika before he fell over. "My hand slipped."

Ichigo rounded on him. "Veneno!"

"What? You were taking forever."

"That wasn't the brightest idea."

"We're running out of time."

"I was trying to work up to something."

"It was taking you a hell of a long time to get to nothing."

"I was-"

Yumichika moaned loudly and arched his back as a wave of tremendous pain hit him like a tidal wave. He started squirming, kicking his legs and turning his head from side to side.

"You see?" yelled a Soul Reaper. "You see how he's suffering? You really expect us to go through that again?"

"Hey, he moved!" Veneno didn't seem too concerned, trying instead to defend himself. "If I was allowed to do it the proper way, the change is pretty quick and painless. If you don't want him to be in pain, let me touch him again and I'll finish the job."

"The hell you will!" Ikkaku lifted his shoulder, shielding Yumichika with his arm. "We never consented to this. Change him back right now!"

"That would defeat the purpose."

Yumichika groaned loudly, twisting his body. Soon, his groans died away and he lay limply in Ikkaku's arms, his eyes closed. He made no sound except for the occasional whimper and moan.

"You'd better get away from him, Ikkaku," said one of the Squad members. "He'll change soon and attack you. Just like everyone did the last time this happened."

"Yeah, what were you thinking?" asked another man, looking at Ichigo. "Once we all change, all we'll do is attack each other. Some plan!"

"Not with her around." Rukia pointed to Linnette. "Remember? Her voice controls Hollows."

"Then why doesn't she do something about those huge ones outside?"

"Because her voice doesn't work on them."

"But you can guarantee it will work on us when we change? Ha!"

"It worked before!" Linnette said.

Ichigo looked out the window and saw the Hollows coming even closer. "We're running out of time. We have to do this."

"We're not changing! We're not going to suffer and you're wasting your breath if you think you can argue us out of what we think. That transformation is painful as hell!"

Unable to take it any longer, Linnette stomped her foot on the ground and approached the Squad members in anger. "I though Squad 11 was supposed to be filled with tough guys, but you're all acting like little babies over some pain!"

"What did you say?!" The large man closest to her started to clench his fist, glaring at her. Cedric moved closer to prevent a fight if it happened. If the man so much as twitched, he would throw him through the wall in order to keep him from hurting Linnette.

"You heard me!" Linnette wasn't intimidated by this large man at all and stood firm. "I thought you guys were be used to pain if you're the warriors you claim to be. You go into battle all the time and come back with injuries. Am I right?"

The men looked at each other.

"And do you cry about it? No! Warriors are proud of their battle scars. When people ask you how you got it, you tell them all about how bravely you fought a monster bigger and stronger than anything they had ever seen before and you managed to defeat it. The scars you get in battle are badges of honor, right? You wear them with pride!"

The men started to chuckle and agree. Some looked at their own scars and were filled with pride all over again. Each one told a story.

"You've survived being Hollow Reapers before. Then it was unwilling. Now you can do it willingly. Show me how tough you are and fight through that pain again to defend your home and your friends."

They were still hesitant.

"I'll make sure none of you guys lose control. I promise."

Ikkaku turned back to Yumichika who had started moaning again. Softly. His lips started moving. "What's that?" Ikkaku leaned closer.

"Something... is talking... to me..." he whispered. "My skin is on fire, Ikkaku... It's burning me inside and out." He opened his eyes. The irises were starting to turn a pale yellow color. "Do you see me? Do you see me, Ikkaku?"

"Yeah?"

Yumichika shook his head with a weak smile. "No, you don't. You don't see me. You can't see me. I can't see me."

"Shh! Shut up. That's just the fever talking. You don't know what you're saying."

"I'm somewhere else, Ikkaku. I don't know where, but I'm not here. I'm not... here..." Yumichika's eyes closed again. "It's hot. And dark."

By this time, the others and noticed Yumichika had started speaking but they couldn't make out what he was saying from where they stood. He started groaning again and Linnette moved closer. She knew what was coming next.

Yumichika opened his eyes again, blinking through sweat. His eyes had changed to gold and black. He found Ikkaku and studied him. His lips parted and let a snarl slip through his teeth. He lifted his arms and tried to grab Ikkaku. Ikkaku shoved him away and stumbled back. Yumichika rolled onto his knees and sat, sniffing the air like a wolf, his eyes gleaming. Drool dripped down his chin, looking around the room for easy prey. He saw a girl coming closer. She would do just fine. He opened his mouth wild and roared at her. She didn't bat an eyes and knelt down in front of him. How easy. His prey was so willing to come right over to him. He wanted to take a big chunk out of her neck and drain her blood so he could wash his face in it. He had such an overwhelming urge to destroy anything and everything.

Everyone watched in silence as Linnette drew closer and started whispering something in his ear. Yumichika's snarls started to quiet and his eyes started to dilate. He made a purring noise in his throat, listening to her voice.

When she was finished, she sat back and waited. Yumichika glanced her way with a twisted but sincere smile. "That was lovely," he hissed. Yumichika's voice sounded so different. It was his voice, only different. Wicked. "I have never heard such a thing before. Won't you favor me again with another song?"

"I will, but first, you have to do something for me."

He chortled and bowed his head to her. "Whatever you like." If he did a good job, he would be rewarded. Not to mention the fact that he liked this girl very much. She had this charm about her he found irresistible.

Linnette pointed out the window over her shoulder. "Do you see those huge Hollows out there?"

Yumichika looked. "Yes."

"They're going to kill everyone. Including me."

Now he was interested. He couldn't stand for anyone taking this girl and her voice away from him.

"I need you to help us stop them. Please help defeat those huge Hollows."

He snarled and bowed again. "You got it."

"And one more thing." She pointed to Veneno and Ichigo. "These two are my friends. Don't hurt them. And don't hurt any Soul Reapers or anything that isn't a Hollow. These two have Hollow powers but they're my friends so they're off limits. Only hurt the big ones, got it?"

If he attacked someone she liked, she would be upset with him. He didn't want to disappoint her. He had to do his very best. He bowed a third time. "Understood. Only the big ones. Harm no others. Consider it done."

"Good." Linnette pointed. "Now go!"

Crouching on all fours, Yumichika nodded to her, eyes on the prize outside the window. "Yes, ma'am!" He sprang like a frog across the room and onto the window. He roared at the sky before leaping outside and galloped on all fours as fast as he could, scrambled up buildings and out of sight.

Everyone who had been watching exhaled. Yumichika wasn't in control, but he wasn't out of control either. Linnette made sure he wouldn't hurt anyone other than the Hollows. Maybe this could work after all. One Hollow Reaper wasn't enough. They still needed more.

"Next?"

No one stepped forward.

"Come on!" Linnette whined. "Are you going to let him have all the glory? When this fight is over, what are you going to tell people when they asked what you were going when they needed you most? You were hiding in the dojo because you weren't willing to do whatever it took to protect them? You weren't willing to get strong enough to win? Yumichika's going to be the hero here while you all watch."

They looked at each other. Still, no one stepped forward.

"We came here thinking you guys were strong, but if you're unwilling, we'll just go over to Squad 4 instead," Rukia out of the corner of her mouth.

That got their attention. There was no way they were going to let that happen. It was an insult!

Still, no one approached Veneno, who was waiting for them beside Ichigo.

Linnette had said her piece. Now it was Veneno's turn.

"Listen," he said, stepping forward. "You said before that you couldn't trust me. You couldn't trust the empty words of an Arrancar. Well, guess what? You did before. Remember? I was here with you guys all the time. You asked after me when I wasn't around. You wanted me here. You even asked me to come back so we could spar. We fought together as a team. Why must that change? Why are things so different now that the masks are off? I was an Arrancar then and I'm an Arrancar now. The only difference is that you know that now and not then. Weren't we friends? You liked me then. What changed? Does it have to change?"

They didn't answer. Some looked at the walls and some looked at the ground.

"You trusted me then. Why am I so different? I'm not. I was Veneno then and I'm Veneno now. There is no difference. I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect my friends. Are you?" Veneno held out his hand. "I am willing to fight for you. Are you willing to fight with me?"

He was strong and they liked that about him. They had become good friends with him. All this time, they had been with an Arrancar and never knew it. Was there really much of a difference? They trusted Veneno the Soul Reaper. He was never a Soul Reaper, so there really wasn't a difference. He was always Veneno and he was always a part of their group. Someone they could rely on, the stand beside and fight together.

One man stepped forward. He looked Veneno in the eye and asked, "It'll be quick, right? And then I'll come back as myself?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Ikkaku frowned.

The man shook his head. "I said my piece. I heard theirs. I've seen what happened. No sense in repeating what just happened. This isn't giving in. This is simply picking up a new weapon." He smiled at Veneno. "And I know this man very well. I like him. And I know he won't let us down. He hasn't disappointed us yet."

"Even when you found out I was an Arrancar?"

He smiled. "Even then. I wasn't disappointed. We're in this together, right? Fighting side by side just like before. You were right. I could trust you then, I can trust you now." He clasped Veneno's hand with his and accepted the transformation.

* * *

There was no end in sight to this battle. No matter how many came to help, it was all in vain. Even with Bankai, Komamura was easily overpowered and tossed aside. "Captain!" Iba came rushing over as his Captain climbed out of the rubble covered in blood. "Captain, are you alright?"

Komamura kept his eyes fixed on the Hollow towering above them. "There must be a way to stop them. I don't understand why they aren't getting hurt."

"It must have something to do with their bodies. Maybe their skin is too hard and acts as a natural armor."

"Perhaps. But we must find a way to stop them before we're all killed."

"How, Captain? We've tried everything and nothing is working. No one seems to be a match for them."

A loud noise distracted the Hollow and the Soul Reapers and all turned in the same direction. It was a howl. A loud siren-like howl, like a wolf signaling an attack. Yumichika appeared on a roof and crouched down on all fours like an animal. His lips parted revealing his white teeth which had become pointed like fangs and snarled at the Hollow. "So, you're the big bad threat, are you?" he growled through his sneer. "Let's see what you've got!"

Yumichika pounced and sank his teeth into the Hollow's arm and hung on tight. The Hollow shrieked and clawed at the leech on its body. Yumichika scrambled up the arm and bit down again. Everywhere his teeth landed drew blood. He was inflicting damage.

"Is that all you've got?" Yumichika cackled and ripped off a piece of the Hollow's flesh and chewed it before spitting it on the ground. He cackled again when the Hollow tried to pull him off, missing every time. This was like a game to him. Yumichika was enjoying himself. "Come on! More! More! Show me what you can do!"

Everyone watched him in stunned amazement. Iba couldn't believe his eyes. "Is that... Yumichika from Squad 11?"

"It looks like it." Komamura squinted. "He seems different. He's not himself."

"I know. He's biting it. Why isn't he using his sword? What's gotten into him? He's acting like a lunatic."

Yumichika tore the Hollow's arm open with his bare hands and started to pull out chunks of fat and muscle. It was a gruesome scene to behold. He reached in to fish out more, sticking his whole arm inside the Hollow's flesh. It swung its arm around to throw him off. Yumichika willingly jumped off and landed on a building, his arms colored red. He looked down at his bloody arms and grinned. "Red's a good color for me. Don't you think?" He painted his face with his red fingers. "Don't I look beautiful covered in blood? Just think how much more beautiful I will be when I'm awash in your innards."

"Yumichika's lost his mind," the crowd began to murmur. "He's totally insane. What's happened to him?"

"I'll wear you intestines like a scarf!" Yumichika bellowed, ripping open the Hollow's stomach with his hands.

More howling was heard in the distance causing everyone to grow silent. Even Yumichika paused for a moment to return the call.

Bounding over buildings and stairs and Soul Reapers, the other members of Squad 11 arrived on the scene to assist. Some were running on twos and others on fours. Their eyes were gleaming bright gold and looked ready to kill. They all converged on the same location with growls and howls. A man ran among them with a girl on his back. Linnette charged into battle with Cedric, calling out orders to the infected members of Squad 11. "Go get 'em!" she cried, pointing at the Hollow.

"You got it!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Happily!"

Every member of the crowd of charging Hollow Reapers attacked the Hollow as a team and started tearing it apart with their bare hands. Overwhelmed, the Hollow stumbled backwards, firing ceros wildly into the air and all around, trying to chase them away. Within a matter of seconds, the street was stained with blood and the Hollow was quickly losing the will to fight. The Hollow Reapers swarmed over its body like locusts, tearing it apart.

Cedric slowed to a walk then then stopped all together. They no longer needed Linnette's direction. They were handling things just fine on their own. There was a loud crack and the Hollow suddenly melted away into nothing. They had killed it. The Hollow Reapers were drenched in blood and dirt but none of them cared. They were already looking around for their next target. They heard a Hollow roaring nearby and turned down the same street to find it. Cedric watched them go, noticing how they were all ignoring the Soul Reapers scattered in the streets. They were obeying Linnette's rule and weren't attacking Soul Reapers. It seemed they had nothing to worry about.

Ichigo watched from the top of the stairs, looking satisfied. Rukia stood with him along with Veneno, Ikkaku and two other members of Squad 11 who chose not to be infected. "Now what do we do?" asked the man to Ikkaku's right. "Just stand here and wait?"

"There are seven other Hollows, right?" asked Rukia. "Attacking that one together as a team worked, but that one Hollow had already been weakened by you guys. If they're going after the other Hollows, it may take longer and they could be injured. Not to mention how they have to do this one at a time. That leaves the other Hollows open."

"Then we need more," said Ichigo. It took a whole team to bring down one Hollow which was already weakened. In the meantime, the other Hollows were still attacking people and Soul Reapers were getting hurt. This meant that they needed to infect more people to help end this quickly with as little injury as possible. Many Soul Reapers were already heavily injured, and there would be more if this didn't end quickly.

"More, Ichigo?" Rukia looked upset. "We've already infected a whole Squad, minus a couple people and you want more?"

"You saw how many it took to bring down an injured one. From your tone before, it sounded like you wanted to infect others."

"I never said it out loud!"

"Ah-ha! So you were thinking it!"

Veneno tapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Can we move this along? We're still in the middle of a battle zone here."

"Right." Ichigo waved his hand in the air. "Hey, Linnette, Cedric, come here for a second, would you?"

Cedric carried Linnette back to the group. "Yeah?" Linnette asked, climbing down from Cedric's back.

"We need to infect just a few more people. You think you can help us out with that? They'll need to hear your voice so they don't get wild and start attacking people."

"Sure thing. I'll go with Veneno and we'll do it together." She turned to Cedric. "It's ok. You try to help anyone who's hurt. I'll be fine."

"You want to go alone with him?" Cedric seemed unsure, leaving her in Veneno's hands.

"It's fine," she said. "It'll be best if you go help people who really need it. Don't you think?"

Cedric did not want to leave Linnette in Veneno's care, even if it was for the greater good. Honestly, he would have felt better about it if Ichigo were going, too. Him, he trusted.

"I'll go with them if you want," Rukia suggested. "If Soul Reapers can't do anything I see no reason for me to go with Ichigo to help fight. With your speed and strength, Cedric, you'll be able to help more people than I would."

Ichigo had to fight as the only other person around who stood a fighting chance. Cedric had to accept. "Be very careful." He flashed away and was gone.

Linnette grabbed Veneno's hand and pulled him down the street. "Come on, we have to hurry and find more." Veneno gave Ichigo one final look before following her and Rukia.

Ichigo looked back at Ikkaku and the remaining members of Squad 11. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, are you guys going to help or what? You guys can't really do any fighting if it's not going to injure them, so are you going to help anyone who's hurt get to a safe place?"

The men didn't seem sure of what to do. Ikkaku clearly wanted to join the battle but Soul Reapers were useless in this fight.

"Figure it out. I have to go." Ichigo flashed onto a staircase and started running toward a Hollow further away, absent of Hollow Reapers. He had to do what he could until reinforcements came along. With Veneno recruiting others, Ichigo was the only one left who could do anything.

* * *

Further down the street, Linnette noticed that there was a stunning lack of Soul Reapers. The streets were deserted. Any Soul Reapers they happened across were too injured to help in the fight. They had to find a Captain to help. Captains were strong and would make powerful Hollow Reapers. However, it seemed that all the Captains had left to help take on the Hollows and weren't around to infect. The only ones left were Soul Reapers who weren't even ranked high enough for a seated position and they were all injured.

"Why don't I just infect her?" Veneno asked, pointing at Rukia.

Rukia glared at him. "First of all, it looks painful. Second I have to be around to make sure-"

"Baby."

"What did you call me?"

"No wonder you and Ichigo fight all the time. Do you hear yourself?"

Rukia almost took a swing at him. "I'm just saying that, logically, I would have to be in my right mind to make sure that we explain the reason why we're doing what we're doing. Besides, you need me to navigate through the area."

"I've been living here for a while now. I think I know where I'm going. Just admit that you're scared to turning into one."

"We've already established that there are side-effects that go along with-"

"Flatty's scared."

Rukia's head turned around. "What did you just say?"

"I called you Flatty. I'd call you a woman, but because of what you're lacking, I'm not sure I can."

This time Rukia did take a swing at him.

"I'm just saying!"

"You are so inappropriate!"

"Don't feel too bad. Ichigo obviously doesn't seem to mind. He's got a thing for you, I can tell. I guess he's into that. I don't see it, though."

"What?!"

"I'm not saying you're ugly or anything. I just don't see it. I like women with boobs, that's all. Sue me. Don't get me wrong, you are cute, just not my type."

Linnette stopped running to turn around and yell at them. She stopped so quick, they nearly ran into her. "Is this the thing we should be talking about right now?"

Rukia and Veneno hung their heads. "Sorry."

"Rukia!"

She looked up and saw two Captains staggering out from behind a building covered in dirt and blood. "Captain Ukitake! Captain Kyoraku!"

Shunsui was limping beside Ukitake who allowed his friend to use him as a crutch. Shunsui's hat was torn and barely sitting on his head and he was missing a sleeve.

"Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine." Shunsui took his weight off Ukitake and stood up straight. "That Hollow over there took me for one hell of a ride. It threw me that whole distance. These things are tough. No matter what we do, they won't go down."

"That's because they're immune to Soul Reaper attacks," she explained. "Only someone with Hollow powers can hurt them."

"Really? How'd you figure that out?"

Rukia explained what she could about what had happened so far. By the time she was done, both Ukitake and Shunsui looked concerned as well as determined.

"So Veneno infected most of Squad 11?"

"Yes."

Ukitake turned to Veneno. "It took some convincing, didn't it? On both sides? I can tell you were unsure about doing such a thing because of how we would react. Am I right?"

"Yeah." Veneno nodded his head.

"When you changed them, did they volunteer?"

"Uh... Yeah. They did it willingly after we told them it was the only way."

Ukitake smiled. "Then you've done nothing wrong. As long as it was done willingly, then you didn't betray our trust in you."

Veneno hung his head. "But... There was one I did change without him knowing to show everyone that nothing bad would happen. Isn't that against his will and therefore I did a bad thing?"

"You were making an example out of him so I think we can let that one slide. But so far, you've only been changing people who agree to it, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then you're going about it the right way."

Veneno was relieved that no one was going to fault him for this. Ukitake explained the reasons very well. If anyone was upset with it, they could put up a good argument.

"But it's not enough," said Linnette. "Just one Squad isn't enough to take on the other Hollows. We're looking for a few other strong Soul Reapers to help."

"Strong ones, huh?" said Shunsui. "You mean like Captains?"

"Y... yes."

Shunsui nodded. "Alright. Lead through example, right?" He turned to Veneno. "I'll do it. I'll become a Hollow Reaper."

Veneno shook his head. "No. You're inured."

"Then what about me?" asked Ukitake. "Shunsui took the brunt of it. I'm fine."

"Captain Ukitake, are you sure?" Rukia gave him a worried look.

"It's not a problem. I've been one before. I know I can handle it."

"Are you sure you don't want me to do it with you?" Shunsui asked.

Ukitake shook his head. "You heard him. You're injured. I'll just trust you to keep an eye on me and make sure I don't hurt anyone."

"You got it."

Ukitake stepped forward and stood in front of Veneno. "How do we do this?"

"Just take my hand." Veneno started to hold out his hand then paused. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. I'm willingly doing this."

"Ok. Thanks." Veneno held out his hand and Ukitake clasped it in his. It looked like they were merely shaking hands, but instead, Veneno was infecting him through physical contact. Soon they would have a Captain Hollow Reaper to help them fight.

* * *

At this rate, the Seireitei was going to be in ruins. The infected members of Squad 11 managed to take on one Hollow and bring it down, but it was in a weakened state. Taking on an undamaged Hollow proved to be much harder though still doable. Ikkaku followed the fight, running to keep up with the action. The members of his Squad were vicious, tearing apart the Hollow with their bare hands and teeth. None of them were using weapons.

Ikkaku stopped short as something plowed into the ground in front of him. Yumichika came crawling out of the crater, smoothing his hair back with his hand. Sensing someone nearby, he suddenly turned and snarled at the approaching Soul Reaper. His hand frozen in the air above Ikkaku's head. He sniffed him. "You... I don't harm." Yumichika lowered his hand. "I promised her I wouldn't. If I do, she'll be upset with me and I can't have that."

Ikkaku frowned. "Now you're devoted to her, too, huh?" He scoffed.

Yumichika eyed him up and down then smirked. "Aw... What's wrong? You can't stand me having a desire to serve a little girl?"

"That's not it and you know it. Well, the real Yumichika does at least." Ikkaku folded his arms. "I just hate how-"

"How even though this girl is a normal human being and possesses no power other than her voice has so many people willing to help her? How she relies on others to do the fighting for her because she's nothing more than a weak human lacking so much?" Yumichika sneered. "Or does it bother you that now the weak little girl is now doing more in this fight than you can? Now you're the one who is helpless and it's just killing you, isn't it?"

Ikkaku glared at him.

"I'm not wrong, am I?" Yumichika said slyly and chuckled. "You said I'm not the real one, didn't you? I am Yumichika. I know what he knows and have lived his life. I know everything. It's just that I'm a better version, but we are still the same person. I have a thing for beauty, same as he. Only where he hates being dirty, I love it. Red is really my color, so I just love being covered in blood. The more there is, the more beautiful. I doubt he'll understand that."

"You're still not Yumichika."

"You're right. I'm not. But I am." He started laughing again. "Then again, you don't know your best friend. You never did."

Ikkaku shot another glare at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. You don't know your own friend. You have no idea just how strong he really is. He was strong enough to be a Third Seat, but you took the position. Doesn't that tell you anything?" Yumichika moved closer. "He holds back so much. Do you know that?"

"I never asked him to-"

"You don't have to. In this Squad, certain powers and abilities are frowned upon. If one has healing powers, they're laughed at. That's why you torment those is Squad 4, even though they are the ones who heal your injuries. If someone in this Squad had absorbing abilities, they would be hated, wouldn't they? In this Squad, if you don't have powers to slice and dice, you're not considered part of the group. Am I right?"

"What does that have to do with Yumichika?"

"The fact that he can't do anything out of fear. He's stronger than you think. He fears if you found out just how strong he was, maybe even more so than yourself, you would hate him. You have to be stronger. That's how it is."

"I never told him to hold himself back."

"But he thinks he must. The same way you hold back your Bankai, which he has to keep a secret. Don't you see?" Yumichika laughed again, amused. "You also have him stand back out of your way when you're in a fight. You don't want him to take part. You want the enemy all to yourself if he's strong. He's always sitting on the sidelines, watching you fight, even though he could do the very same, if not more."

Ikkaku knew he had done these things, but he never knew they bothered Yumichika. Then again, this was the Hollow version of him talking. Maybe it was all a lie. Or maybe this was how he truly felt. Was Yumichika really holding himself back because of his friend?

Yumichika smirked, walking away from Ikkaku. "But my, how the tables have turned. For once, you get to stand back and watch me fight."

Before Ikkaku could say anything, Yumichika opened his mouth wide and fired a purple cero into the neck of the Hollow behind him. The Hollow stumbled back, roaring.

"Now who's helpless and weak?" Yumichika flashed away with a smirk, leaving Ikkaku in his dust.

* * *

Ukitake's transformation into a Hollow Reaper was slightly slower than the others. Linnette managed to keep him under control and made sure he knew not to attack anyone other than the giant Hollows. She couldn't stay long. She left with Veneno soon after to see if they could find more reinforcements and left him alone with Shunsui.

As a Hollow Reaper, Ukitake was much more energetic and itching for a fight. Shunsui watched him scramble up the side of a building and jump in place once he reached the top. He couldn't contain himself. He was overflowing with energy. He had to burn it off somehow.

"Jushiro..." Shunsui approached cautiously. "Are you in there?"

Ukitake looked below at the Soul Reaper calling him. There were times when Shunsui thought Ukitake still had some control and other times when he knew it was a Hollow. Now it seemed that Ukitake was no longer conscious of his actions, giving the Hollow full control.

He climbed down from his perch and stood nose to nose with Shunsui. "What do you want?" he hissed.

"Nothing." Shunsui lowered his head. "Just checking."

Ukitake opened his mouth to say something. There was a loud explosion and he was gone. Shunsui screamed his name in fear. A Hollow had just unleashed a cero right where he was standing. The Hollow came closer, focusing on its next target.

Ukitake appeared from inside a building, laughing. "That's more like it! Finally, some excitement!" He came running out of the building and up the Hollow's arm. Grabbing fistfuls of the Hollow's flesh, Ukitake peeled its skin off its bones with his bare hands. The Hollow slammed its arm into the side of the building, trying to squish the Captain. "That's it!" Ukitake was laughing. "Come on! Hurt me some more! It feels great!"

Shunsui ducked as a wad of Hollow flesh came at his head. Ukitake continued to strip off the Hollow's skin, one chunk at a time. Ukitake had certainly become more violent. Now he was biting the Hollow with his teeth, removing even more skin.

"Let me show you how it's done!" he jeered. "This is pain!" He reached as far as he could into the Hollow's arm and pulled out its insides. Punching straight down, there was a loud crack and the Hollow's arm pointed in an awkward angle as Ukitake broke its bone. "This is pain, my friend! What you're doing is nothing to me!" He clawed his way up to to the Hollow's neck and tore out its throat, laughing wildly.

Shunsui turned away with a grimace. "Oh, I can't wait for him to return to normal. This Ukitake creeps me out."

* * *

"Who's next?" Linnette asked.

Rukia looked around, fallen Soul Reapers lining the streets. "A lot of these guys are really hurt. Most of the Captains are fighting the Hollows in close combat. I don't think we'll find anyone around here."

Veneno looked at the Soul Reapers being given emergency treatment for their injuries on the spot. The Soul Reaper with the 69 tattoo was one of them. He was covered in blood but it looked like he would survive. "There are some strong ones here, but I'm not going to change anyone who is already injured. They need to recover."

"Then what should we do?" asked Rukia. "Leave it at that and see of there's anything we can do in the fight further ahead?"

"We need to keep those Hollows from coming any closer to where the injured are," said Veneno. "So, yeah. Let's head toward the battle going on ahead and see if there's anything we can do in the fight."

The battle ahead was as hopeless as the others. Two Captains were trying to take down the same Hollow with no luck. Byakuya's attacks were pointless and so were Hitsugaya's. Renji and Rangiku were injured and out of breath. Renji's shoulder was cut wild open and Rangiku's injured leg and arm were slowing her down. They were both easy targets.

Which was exactly why the Hollow made them its prime targets. Hitsugaya tried desperately to encase it in ice but nothing would hold this Hollow in place. It tore trough the ice like wet paper. With nothing else to do, he made himself the target to allow Renji and Rangiku to get to safety. His sword bounced off the Hollow's mask, once again unable to cut it. Annoyed, the Hollow wrapped its long fingers around Hitsugaya's body and squeezed him.

"Captain!" Rangiku screamed. She tried kido for the millionth time, but it was all pointless. "Hang on, Captain!"

Hitsugaya pushed against the Hollow's grip, gasping for air. The Hollow was squeezing him like a snake. At this rate he would suffocate.

Another ice attack hit the Hollow's arm from below and it looked down. Rukia was trying to distract the Hollow with her own attacks, even knowing it wouldn't cause any damage. That wasn't the point. She was only trying to get the Hollow's attention in hopes of giving Hitsugaya time to escape.

The Hollow's grip tightened and more air was forced out of Hitsuagya's lungs. Something landed on the Hollow's wrist, gaining the Captain's attention. Veneno looked Hitsugaya over and then at the Hollow's hand. "If I stab it, you'll probably get crushed to death," he was saying. "Your best bet is to force your way out from where you are."

"I can't do that!" Hitsugaya gasped. He wasn't strong enough to pry the Hollow's hand off his body.

"Then there's only one way you can." Veneno reached for Hitsugaya's hand. "Will you let me give you temporary Hollow powers?"

"Are you insane?!"

"It's that or get crushed to death!" Veneno stretched out his arm. "Your choice. But if you do, you'll be strong enough to defeat the Hollow. These things are immune to Soul Reaper powers. Only someone with Hollow powers can stop them."

"What proof do you have of that?" Hitsugaya gasped for air. It was getting harder to breathe. "Why should I believe such a thing with no proof?"

"None of your attacks have been working. What more proof do you need?" Veneno held out his hand. "Trust me! Do you want to die or do you want to fight?"

Veneno was taking advantage of the situation as far as Hitsugaya was concerned. Either he had to accept the Hollow powers or get crushed to death. As the Hollow's grip tightened, he realized he would either suffocate or get crushed if he remained where he was. There was no other way out of this. He couldn't get out without help and staying put wasn't an option. He had no choice but to take Veneno's hand.

He couldn't inhale anymore. Any minute now he was going to pass out. Out of desperation, he took Veneno's hand.

Rangiku squinted. "I can't see. Is the Captain ok?"

Renji couldn't tell from where he stood. "You don't think he's dead, do you? I mean, crushed into pulp or anything..."

"Renji!" Rukia turned around. "Don't say that!"

"We were all thinking it. And it's not like I want it to happen. I don't! I'm just as worried as you guys. It's awfully quiet up there is all."

There was a high-pitched shriek from above and the Hollow started wailing, blood pouring from a fresh wound in its chest. Something was crawling around on its body, opening new wounds. Veneno landed on the ground by Linnette as the speck crawling around the Hollow leapt down as well.

Hitsugaya landed on the ground, rolling and tumbling until he found his feet and crouched on the ground where he was. His Hollow eyes were gleaming, darting this way and that. So many targets. The locked eyes with one and ran forward, growling. He was trying to attack Rukia.

"No! No, no. no!" Linnette wrapped her arms around his shoulders, trying to hold him back. Her feet slid across the ground as he dragged her every step of the way. She started whispering into his ear and Hitsuagya calmed. When he had come to a complete stop, she patted his head. "Good. That's better."

His eyes were now focused on her. His growls soon turned to quiet purrs as she spoke to him. She told him the same thing she had told the others. He was not to attack anyone other than the large Hollows.

"You'll be good, right?" she asked him.

He nodded his head, grinning. "I will. I am. I'm a very good boy."

"Good." Linnette pointed at the Hollow. "Now go get it!"

"I'm on it!" Hitsugaya was gone in a flash. A moment later, the Hollow was screeching as more wounds began to appear on its body.

Byakuya eyed Veneno up and down. "You did that, didn't you?"

Veneno didn't deny it. "We agreed it was the best way. I even asked him if he wanted it done and he accepted."

"It's true, brother," Rukia said quickly. She explained the situation, making sure everyone knew that they had told Veneno to do this because they didn't have a choice.

Veneno held out his hand as if he expected Byakuya to shake it. "You want it? You can join the white guy over there."

Byakuya looked at Veneno's hand, then at his face. "I'd rather keep my sanity, thank you very much."

Veneno took his hand away. "Suit yourself." He turned around. "He seems to be having fun, though."

Hitsugaya was hollering and laughing as he tore the Hollow apart, thoroughly enjoying himself. The young Captain seemed to be having a lot of fun tearing the Hollow limb from limb.

"The guy's a maniac," commented Renji. "I'd hate to get on his bad side when he's like this." He turned to Veneno. "How long does it last?"

"As long as I want. Or until it wears off. Don't worry, they won't be like this for long. They'll go back to normal again."

"So we just rely on them to do all the fighting for us?"

"You don't have much of a choice," said Veneno. "These Hollows can't get hurt by Soul Reapers so this is the best we got."

"The Captain isn't going to take damage from this, is he?" asked Rangiku. She looked worried.

"No. I changed him pretty quick so he didn't feel a whole lot of pain when he turned. But he will have a hard time moving when it wears off. He'll be tired from the change so he should rest a while. It won't last too long."

"The longer you're a Hollow Reaper, the longer it'll take to recover," said Rukia. "Isn't that right?"

"Pretty much, I guess."

"You don't sound that confident," said Byakuya, eyeing Veneno up and down.

Veneno turned to the Captain. "Hey, what do you want from me? The first time I did this, I didn't stick around to see what happened when they changed back. You have Ichigo to thank for that. I'm only going by what I've seen. I only did this once since then in order to save Akon's life."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he would die if I didn't. So what?" Veneno turned away. "I'm not doing this because I want to. Only because you have to... and because Ichigo told me to do it."

Byakuya looked him up and down. "So you do not wish to infect others the way you did before?"

"Why? And have you guys hate me?" Veneno glared at Byakuya. "Listen, buddy, I already know how you guys feel about me and I'm doing my best here, even though I'm sure it won't be enough. I didn't want to use that ability of mine because I knew this would happen and you would think that I was... Forget it."

"You're concerned about what we think of you?" Byakuya's question was monotone but it was enough to set Veneno off.

"It's not like I care! But I finally have friends and I don't want anything to..." Veneno cut himself off and quickly turned his head.

He didn't need to say anymore. That was enough.

The Hollow overhead shrieked and toppled over into the next street. Hitsugaya landed on the ground, watching it. When the body started to vanished, he jumped up and down, laughing hysterically. Then he ran on all fours in a circle, wanting more.

Byakuya got his attention and pointed. "There's another one they could use some help with over there."

Hitsugaya turned to Linnette. "You heard him. Go on," she told him. He grinned, his face covered with blood and his white hair a mess and in his eyes. He ran on all fours between buildings and out of sight.

"Where's Ichigo at?" Renji asked.

Veneno looked overhead, wondering the same thing. "I think that's enough for now. I'm going to find him."

"Ok," said Rukia. "Just be careful."

Veneno paused mid-step at her words. He turned his head to the side so no one could see his face. "Your concern isn't important to me. I don't care." Then he jumped straight up and out of sight.

Renji raised his brow at the comment. "Does that mean he does care? What's up with that?"

"Leave him be," said Rukia. "We have other things to do."

* * *

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